Six of the most important new driving laws introduced in 2018 – but do you know them all?
PLENTY of strict new driving rules and regulations came into force this year.
The changes, covering everything from learner drivers to MOT tests, saw tough fines imposed and harsher penalties for drivers who don't play by the rules.
So have you kept up to date with the key new regulations to hit British roads in 2018?
Fines for misusing smart motorways
You can now be hit with a hefty penalty if you drive in the hard shoulder when it's closed.
Highways England reportedly sent 80,000 letters to motorists warning them not to ignore signs forbidding the use of the hard shoulder.
But since March, they have been using cameras on new smart motorways to catch those who drive on the hard shoulder regardless.
If caught, motorists can be given a £100 fine and three penalty points on their licence.
New MOT rules
The MOT became harder to pass this year, with vehicles rated out of three categories.
Cars given a 'dangerous' or 'major' rating now automatically fail, but a car with just a 'minor' fault is still able to pass.
So a vehicle with an oil leak could in theory get a major rating if it's found to be dripping, but otherwise the failing would be a minor.
And the new grading categories are already significantly increasing the rate of failure.
Coming into force on May 20, the changes also saw a diesel loophole closed and added a check of diesel filters to the standard test.
Motorists now automatically fail if they've had the diesel filter removed or tampered with.
Drivers can also get a £2,500 fine for this bizarre loophole under the new regulations.
See the full list of MOT changes here.
Learner drivers allowed on motorways
Learner drivers have been allowed to take to Britain's motorways for the first time.
Since June, provisional licence holders have been permitted on the fast roads for lessons, as long as they are accompanied by a qualified driving instructor - but they can't go with their parents.
The move was decided after Government research found that very few drivers were taking motorway lessons after passing their test.
This meant that previously, newly qualified drivers were unaccompanied when travelling on the motorway for the first time.
Tax hike for diesel drivers
Newly registered diesel cars were hit with a tax hike of up to £500 in April.
The changes, announced in the November 2017 Budget, apply to new cars bought after April that do not meet the latest emission standards.
For these cars, the Vehicle Exercise Duty is increased one band, adding between £20-£500 to year one rates depending on how high the car's emissions rating is.
Driving too close to a cyclist
Aggressive motorists who drive too close to cyclists can now be targeted in a new police crackdown to make roads safer for bike users.
The Government encouraged police forces to start issuing fines to drivers if they endangered a cyclist from June.
If you are caught passing less than 1.5m from a bike in your car, you could be slapped with a £100 fine and three penalty points.
And while the rule is yet to be officially included in the Highway Code, the Department for Transport is currently consulting on whether to introduce a nationwide minimum distance for overtaking cyclists.
Changes to the driving test
The driving test was given an overhaul in December last year, with the major impact hitting learners into this year.
Now, rather than driving independently for 10 minutes in the test, learners now must drive for 20 minutes - but, unlike before, they are also tested on their ability to use a sat-nav.
the road laws you need to know
Two key manoeuvres were also axed, with drivers now only tested on three - a parallel park on the side of the road, parking in a bay and a pulling up on the right hand side of the road manoeuvre.
There have also been changes made to the 'show me, tell me' part of the test, with the 'show me' questions asked during the test, rather than after or before.
You can see all the changes to the driving test here.