The Laws Surrounding Car Tracking: What you need to know

Car trackers have become more popular in recent times as more motorists look to protect their vehicles; and for good reason. Trackers are one of the best ways to surround your car with high-level security and protection from theft. Here at Fit My Tracker we have vast experience and a great deal of knowledge of how useful vehicle trackers are, how they work and how the law views the use of vehicle trackers.

What laws come into play?
The laws concerning the use of vehicle trackers and the personal data that they gather are controlled by the Data Protection Act 2018, the General Data Protection Regulations, and the Human Rights Act 1998. Data protection regulations concern the handling of personal information while the Human Rights Act relates to privacy and confidentiality issues.

How do these laws affect vehicle trackers?
The Human Rights Act covers the right to respect for family life. In terms of how it can affect someone driving professionally in a vehicle with a tracker, a privacy button could be an option to ensure that only the vehicle is tracked during working hours, and not the driver. If you use your car for work purposes, we at Fit My Tracker can guide you on which car trackers have a privacy option.
The Data Protection Act ensures all data is processed fairly and lawfully and kept only for legitimate purposes.

Is there any reason why I can’t fit a tracker on my car?
There is no law in the UK against putting a tracker on your vehicle. However, the law will come into play if you find a tracker on your vehicle that you were unaware of. If you suspect this is the case you should contact the police for advice. In short, it is very illegal to place a tracking device on someone else’s personal vehicle without their consent.

What about trackers on business vehicles?
When it comes to businesses tracking company vehicles, the regulations apply but there are strict rules on what can and cannot be monitored. Employers and owners of company vehicles have to be careful not to fall foul of the law when using GPS trackers.

The rules for an employer wishing to place a GPS tracker in a vehicle driven by an employee are:
1) The employee is aware they are being tracked
2) The employee has agreed to the tracking device
3) The employer is only allowed to use tracking data obtained during the employee’s working hours
4) It is illegal to track a business vehicle without the consent and knowledge of the employee

What information can an employer legally gain from a tracking device?
An employer can only track their company vehicles for business purposes. These could include:
1) Driver behaviour monitoring, to reduce fuel costs or wear and tear on vehicles.
2) Tracking data, to help route planning and optimisation.
3) Data can help keep drivers safe and compliant with legal driving hours.

An employer cannot track their drivers outside of their normal working hours.

In conclusion, a tracker is one of the best ways to protect your vehicle, but always be aware of the laws surrounding their use.