The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has issued a consultation paper on proposed changes to its driving licence fees, which would apply in Great Britain from April 2013. Anyone wishing to comment must do so by 14 August 2012.

DVLA chief executive, Simon Tse, said:

“The DVLA is facing increasing costs and these must be covered from our fees. We are consulting with our customers and stakeholders on a potential fee structure so that we can take their views into account when making the final decision.”

The consultation contains three options:

1. Apply the common driver fee of £20 to provisional and 5-yearly renewal applications for vocational driving licences
2. Increase the fee for a first provisional car or motorcycle licence by £2.25 to £52.25
3. Increase the common driver fee by £0.70 to £20.70

An IA will be included as part of most consultations and always where proposals may create burdens for business. A comprehensive list of cross government consultations can be found at:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/UKgovernment/PublicConsultations/DG_170463

Driving Licence rules will be changing from 19 January 2013. Included in these rules are changes to the age at which you can drive certain vehicles and the types of vehicles you can drive within some categories. As part of the changes to the new rules for driving, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will also be issuing a new style of driving licence.

Motorists that are caught driving on illegal tyres is also a topical issue this month. Shocking figures released by Tyresafe have revealed that in 2010, there were 10,475 court convictions related to driving on defective tyres. Keep your tyres to a roadworthy standard and make sure you avoid a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points!

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How do you convince young drivers not to text while behind the wheel?
Try proving to them how dangerous it is.

That’s what a Belgium-based traffic safety organization, Responsible Young Drivers, did with this unique approach: Unsuspecting drivers at a Brussels driving school were told that a new law had passed and that in order to get their licenses, they had to demonstrate they could use a mobile phone while behind the wheel.

Drivers were filmed as they attempted to steer around curves and obstacles while texting, and the results were uploaded to YouTube in the public service announcement below.

“I can’t do it,” one woman pouts in French after abruptly hitting the brakes and causing the instructor to slam against the dashboard. Another student exclaims: “Honestly, I feel like an idiot who can’t drive.”