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Hundreds of disabled people could be prosecuted because they are driving untaxed mobility scooters.
A little-known law, recently introduced, states that driving a road vehicle which exceeds speeds of 4mph must be registered with the DVLA.
Today, Leicestershire police confirmed they would enforce the law if someone was caught driving on the road in such a mobility scooter without a tax disc.
Lesley de Carle, head of the Shopmobility scheme in Leicester, which lends mobility scooters to shoppers who have a disability, said: "The DVLA has recently brought it in, but hardly anyone knows about it. I only found out by reading it in a magazine.
"There are potentially hundreds of people in the county who are now breaking the law because nobody told them.
"I would have thought people running Shopmobility schemes would be told, but we have not had anything.
"It seems odd to me that you can ride a bike on a road untaxed, but a mobility scooter, which goes much slower, needs a disc. I have four which go above 4mph, and these are not being used until I have them registered."
Scooters which go faster than 4mph are known as class-three carriages. Anything which travels up to 4mph does not need to be taxed because it is not allowed on the road, apart from to cross it.
A DVLA spokesman said: "Class-three invalid carriages need to be registered for road use, be licensed in the disabled taxation class and display a tax disc.
"Class-three vehicles may be driven on the road legally without a licence, although other vehicles must stay on paths.
"Vehicles like these are exempt from the requirement to have motor insurance cover and although it is not a legal requirement for class-three vehicles to have insurance cover, it is strongly advised that they do.
"No one has been prosecuted for this offence, but it is a legal requirement."
Because there are not yet any prosecutions, the exact punishment is unknown, although it is likely to be a fine.
Jack Clay, 91, of Blaby, has recently insured his scooter after learning about the law.
He said: "I read about the changes and I could not believe it, and I know there will be many people who know nothing about it.
"I want to warn others about the risks they are running if they are caught.
"The DVLA has done little to tell people about this, and I'm sure there are many people who are as shocked as me."
Some people are eligible for a free tax disc for their mobility scooter. The DVLA can be contacted on 0870 850 0007.
A new breed of OAP law breakers!
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