Drivers risk £200 fine if they fail to make change to car on Sunday

As March draws to a close, Brits are eagerly anticipating the return of lighter evenings, a welcome change after the long winter months. This shift in daylight hours is marked by the introduction of Daylight Savings Time (DST), which will take effect this Sunday (March 30).

The transition involves adjusting our clocks back by one hour, a task that extends to various devices including alarm clocks, phones, and watches. While many of these gadgets automatically update the time, it’s crucial not to overlook your car clock.

Pentagon Motor Group, experts in the field, have issued a stern warning to the UK’s 50 million drivers. Neglecting to adjust the time in your vehicle could result in a hefty £200 fine and six penalty points on your licence.

Moreover, failure to make this simple adjustment could mean your car clock displays the incorrect time for half the year. Although it may seem like a minor detail, ensuring your car clock reflects the correct time is vital.

It promotes consistency and accuracy, helping to avoid any potential disruptions or inconveniences in your daily routine.

Remembering to promptly adjust your car clock – ideally as soon as DST comes into effect – is an important task that can aid in time management, particularly when it comes to attending appointments or important meetings.

Most importantly, adjusting the time on your car clock can create a stress-free environment, eliminating a potential distraction that could pose a hazard while driving.

So, where should we look when the time in our vehicle is incorrect? While it might be tempting to glance at a device like a phone or smartwatch, this should be avoided at all costs.

Using a phone while driving is a criminal offence in the UK, and if caught, you could face a £200 fine and six penalty points on your licence. Moreover, if you’ve been driving for less than two years, you could receive an immediate ban.

While checking a watch might seem harmless, smartwatches can also cause significant distractions, similar to phones, by displaying not just the time, but messages, emails, and even games.

In the UK, it’s reported that 31% of people use a smartwatch, making it a common accessory for drivers. However, if you’re caught using this while driving, you could face the same penalties as using a mobile phone – a £200 fine and six penalty points.

The only exceptions for using your mobile phone while in a car, according to www.gov.uk, include calling 999 or 112 in an emergency when it’s unsafe or impractical to stop, making a contactless payment in a stationary vehicle, such as at a drive-thru restaurant, and when you’re safely parked.

Anyone who is unsure about how to change the clock on their car could have a quick search of Google or TikTok. There are many helpful video tutorials showing you how it’s done on various car models, including one from @carsofglasgow1 who shows people with Jaguar’s change their car clocks correctly.