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Archive for the ‘Car Safety’ Category

Cluttered cars becoming a safety issue on our roads

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

How many of us can honestly say we keep our cars clean and tidy. The vehicle we use to get us to work, the kids to school, the family on holiday and the pack horse that brings home the supermarket shop does not stay in pristine condition for long.

Clutter soon builds up

The demands of modern life mean that very few people keep their car looking the same as it did when they picked it up after organising motor vehicle insurance on it for the first time. It does not take too long before the car becomes “personalised”. Of course most people like to have personal objects in the cocoon that they spend so much time in, unfortunately according to a recent AA survey we are putting ourselves and our families at risk by cluttering up our vehicles.

Blinded by the light

The Survey, conducted on 2,000 cars travelling on a motorway, revealed that 1 in 20 cars had significantly obscured the driver’s vision by cluttering up the windscreen or rear window with objects. The survey revealed a plethora of cuddly toys, scented air fresheners and sporting regalia, were putting drivers at risk every day. It also revealed a strange belief that grips thousands of motorists in the UK! Apparently many people are convinced that a dangling CD will prevent speed cameras from recording their speed, a conviction that is totally refuted by the police force. However, they do point out that the dangling CD can well blind a driver coming in the opposite direction in some conditions.

Drivers face fines if safety is compromised

A police spokesman also points out that drivers can be fined for cluttering their windscreens with objects that could impair their vision and therefore compromise the safety of road users. The CD or scented tree therefore can have a big impact on the price of your car insurance cover. Even a sat-nav can cause loss of visibility for the driver if it isn’t placed correctly. It is also worth remembering that a car could feasibly fail an MOT if it is badly cluttered to the point where vision loss is an issue.

A clean car is a safer car

Of course the most dangerous aspect of a cluttered car comes into play when there is a collision. Objects flying about a car can maim and kill quite easily and a driver struggling to keep control of the vehicle can easily be impeded by objects blocking his vision or even blocking the controls of the car. It is not always easy to empty the car of clutter after every journey but keeping a clear windscreen will undoubtedly improve the safety rating of your car.

Tags: Car, clutter, mess, motor vehicle insurance, safety
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Car safety gadgets entering a new era

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

Although the main aim of motor manufacturers over the last decade appears to have been to be the first producer of a successful mass produced zero emission car, there have been other developments going on, mainly involving safety.

Message not getting across

Consumers across the UK have been swamped by advertisers telling them their next motor insurance quote should be for a car with zero or low emissions but however hard the media men try and push this, consumers are not yet falling in love with the new breed of vehicles.

Technology focussing on before and not after

Survey after survey reveals that motorists are looking for value for money, comfort and reliability in a new car, and of course safety. The advances in safety have been a triumph over the last decade and almost every country in the western world can boast of falling major accident casualties because of the new technology built into our cars. In the past, safety features on cars have been “secondary”. Air bags and metal technology have been designed to protect the driver and passengers after an accident has occurred; today’s technology is focussing on stopping the accident happening in the first place.

Who will be driving?

In the near future car insurance brokers will be offering deals on vehicles that automatically dip their headlights when another car is approaching, that have inflatable rear seat belts and insist on the driver indicating when he wants to change lanes. And that is not the end by any means. Sensors and cameras in the cars will make the car stop if it anticipates a collision and laser technology will once and for all get rid of the blind spot every car driver fears.

Cost implications

Of course all these features will add cost to a car, those offered by major manufacturers at the moment put about £2,000 on the cost of a model but this may well prove more attractive to consumers than forking out an extra £10,000 for a car with no exhaust and no track record to compare it by.

Safety groups not convinced-yet

Not everyone is impressed by the new safety gadgets and many motoring and road safety groups observe that the new technology will make the modern day driver even lazier in his warm, gadget packed cocoon. They believe the emphasis should be on better driving skills and closer traffic management, however, the safety track record of motor manufacturers is getting better and not many will argue with that.

Tags: car insurance brokers, Car Safety, Gadgets, motor insurance quote, technology
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Speed camera secrets displayed on government website

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

In a move that will further fuel the speed camera debate, the Government plan to display data gleaned from the remaining cameras in operation to the general public. The data will be collated by the Department of Transport and a Government website will reveal the number of accidents, the number of prosecutions and the number of injuries that the cameras record.

Unpopular with many motorists

The speed cameras have never been a favourite of motorists who have often regarded them as being mere cash cows for Government coffers, they have often been the cause of court cases up and down the country where motorists have found their motor vehicle insurance premiums rocket because of speeding convictions when they have been insistent they were totally innocent of any misdemeanour.

Minister believes website is justified

Mike Penning, the Road Safety Minister, said that the general public had a right to know just how effective the cameras were because they were paid for out of public money. He believes the information will equip the public with more information and allow them to make a considered judgement if local councils require the local populace to make a decision on keeping them.

Road Safety campaigners will be pleased

The move will delight road safety groups who have been highly critical of local authorities who have turned the speed cameras off because of budgetary pressures. They are convinced areas that have lost their cameras have become more dangerous and are confident the statistics on the government website will confirm their argument.

Website could put an end to the arguments

Although many motorists were pleased to see the back of the fixed speed cameras it is true that many worry about the lack of policing carried out on the highways in the UK today. Drivers who pay their Road Tax, MOT tax and high premiums for car insurance cover welcome any actions that can take criminals off the road, and it is without doubt that speed cameras do deliver in that department. Motoring organisations can’t agree on the subject so perhaps the information put out by the Government website will give incontrovertible evidence on the value of speed cameras.

Tags: motor vehicle insurance, motorists, Road Safety Minister, speed cameras
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Road safety group call for more funding to stop the carnage on UK roads

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

The tragic loss of life statistics on the roads of the United Kingdom have long been a source of discomfort for those who plan our highway system, a tracking survey carried out by the Road Safety Foundation has shown what a tragic waste it really is.

The survey followed the accident statistics of just fifteen of the country’s major highways after simple road safety measures were put in place. By adopting plain ordinary safety procedures such as strategic signage, road layouts and central reservation barriers the incidence of fatal and serious injury accidents dropped by an amazing 62% in one year. The RSF say that is the equivalent of 300 lives saved.

The foundation believes that the money spent on the improvements was recouped in less than three months if the cost to emergency services, NHS departments, vehicle insurance, local business and of course families affected by the accident is all factored in. Actuaries for the safety group reckon £1 million a week would be saved if the measures were introduced on roads across the country.

An illustration of what can be done to make a dangerous road safe can be gleaned from the 11 km section of the A1428 from High Wycombe to Great Missenden, in the Home Counties. Three years ago the road was one of the most dangerous highways in the country, with 19 serious or fatal injuries. Local authorities, the police and road safety groups collectively worked at finding solutions to the problem. It worked! The last survey revealed the stretch of tarmac only played host to two serious injuries. Motor insurance claims from accidents on the road have dropped dramatically as well.

Unfortunately the A527 between Buxton and Macclesfield still has the dubious honour of being Britain’s most dangerous road. The 8 miles between the High Peak towns has been the scene for many serious and fatal accidents over the years and since 2007 they have increased by over 60%. The road is notorious for rapidly changeable weather conditions and the twists and turns of the road make it a favourite with motor cyclists. It is motor cyclists that have borne the brunt of the serious accidents and it seems lessons still have to be learned when it comes to road safety on two wheels.

Tags: Car Insurance, Car Safety, highway safety, Motor insurance, motorway
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Transport bill will radically change our highways

Thursday, May 12th, 2011

Transport Minister Philip Hammond takes centre stage today as he introduces changes to the way the motorways and roads of the UK are policed. The bill will be made law sometime next year but the details will be announced for the first time in parliament today.

Motorists wait and see

The Department of Transport are billing the changes as the “End of the war on the motorist” but drivers across the country who are already paying record prices for fuel and car insurance cover will want to hear the changes first hand before they come to any conclusions.

Introduction of fixed penalties

It is widely expected that Mr Hammond will announce today that Police Officers will be allowed to implement on the spot fixed penalty fines for road traffic offences. The decision will mean that thousands of court cases will no longer be required regarding motor offences, which will dramatically lessen the burden on courtrooms all over the UK. This will be welcomed as the recent Government cuts in public funding have seen many courtrooms closed over the last few months. The fines are expected to be between £80 and £100 with the addition of three points on their licence. The three points part of the penalty will be a worry to anyone who has found their motor insurance quotes rocketing due to having points on their licence and although it is not clear yet what offences will be covered by the penalties, it is thought tailgating, undertaking and driving without due care and attention will all come under the new regulations.

Driver’s concerned wrong driver may be targeted

Undertaking will be particularly contentious because many experienced drivers maintain the offence is often committed because of the actions of bad drivers hogging the central lane of a motorway.

Road speed limits will feature

The bill is widely anticipated to also include a change to speed limits on the country’s highways. Many experts on the transport network expect motorways and other high volume roads to have their speed limits changed, with the view of economy and road safety both taken into account. A raising of the speed limit on motorways to 80 mph is expected, which will be a boost to the economy as it will mean shorter journey times, however, on roads where there is a limit of 50 and 60 mph and yet there are still incidences of serious accidents the limit may well be lowered.

Tags: Car Insurance, Motor insurance, The Department of Transport, transport bill
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MOT test system may be altered

Tuesday, April 12th, 2011

It is not often that motorists in the UK receive news that promises to actually cut their motoring costs, but a recent announcement by the transport secretary suggests there is a small chance that it may happen.

Time for a change

Philip Hammond, the transport secretary, has disclosed that his department are looking at altering the rules around the Ministry of Transport (MOT) test of a car’s safety and its suitability for the Public Highway. The certificates are now issued by the Vehicle and Operator Services Authority (VOSA) but the test has changed little in the last 50 years, apart from exhaust emissions and the minister reckons it is high time to look at it again.

First MOT now after 4 years

Although car drivers usually have cause to grimace when the Government announce they are investigating making changes in anything to do with motoring, it really seems that this time may be different. The first suggestion is that drivers who get a motor insurance quote on a brand new vehicle can expect to now drive the car four years before it has to go through an MOT test. The second option suggests the first MOT after four years, another after a further two years and then annually after that. Option three stays with the idea of the first test after four years and then two year intervals for the next three tests meaning the car will be ten years old before it has to take an annual MOT.

New technology making cars safer, but safety groups not so sure

The transport department are thinking of changing the time gap for MOTs due to the modern technological advances in motor manufacture but road safety groups are concerned that both accidents and fatalities will increase if the changes come about. Car insurance brokers have not entered into the debate yet and there should be little in the changes to suggest that insurance should alter but there is sure to be some input from insurers along the way.

Although the concerns of safety campaigners should be taken into account, they have suggested the slackening of the MOT could result in an extra 30 fatalities a year, it would be good to think that the hard pressed motorist has at last got something to celebrate. Although the average price of the MOT test is little more than a tank full of fuel these days it will still work wonders for the morale of the average motorist in the UK.

Tags: car advice, Car Insurance, MOT testing
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Nostalgia is not what it used to be!

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

A recent online poll asked motorists about the differences they find in driving today compared to twenty years ago, and what they liked and disliked about the respective periods. The poll revealed some interesting answers without any great surprises. One thing that was for certain about the contrasting periods was that the cheapest car insurance quote of 2011 would still work out to be more than the most expensive of 1991.

Cheap petrol and open roads

Not surprisingly the things drivers miss most is relatively cheap fuel. The days of filling up and paying the forecourt attendant with change out of your pocket have well and truly disappeared. If prices continue to escalate then the 1 in 25 drivers who say they get no joy whatsoever out of modern day driving might find themselves with more company.

If that does prove to be the case then the second highest ranking of things modern day motorists miss from those of 20 years ago might not be so important, yes you’ve guessed correctly, fewer vehicles on the road came in at number two in the nostalgia stakes.

Many motorists miss getting their hands dirty doing their own DIY repairs on their vehicle without invalidating their motor insurance, and cheap parking is another facet that is missed by many.

All about the car

It is when you get to the things that motorists prefer about modern day motoring that the message sinks in. All the top ten attractions for modern day driving in the poll were features involving the technology involved in the manufacture of modern day vehicles. More comfort, improved reliability, better safety, air conditioning and in car entertainment all featured. Enhanced fuel efficiency was in there as well, as of course was the greatest scourge to modern map reading, the Sat Nav.

Getting from A to B safely

The message? Well modern day motoring is all about necessity, not about the open road. It is about comfort and safety and not about adventure and intrigue. The modern day motorist is indeed cocooned in his car and to a certain extent appreciates that. It’s just a pity he can’t be cocooned from fuel prices, toll roads and the bogeymen around the corner, congestion charges.

Tags: cheapest car insurance quote
Posted in Car Safety, Car Types, Cheap Car Insurance, car technology | No Comments »

Blue Badge in the spotlight

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

Motorists who use the Blue Badge system for parking facilities will be next in line for examination, as the Government continues its policy of searching for savings in public spending. The badges allow the owners to avoid paying parking charges and in some circumstances to park on yellow lines. The savings per year for a regular user easily equate to the cost of a motor insurance policy.

According to reports the 2.5 million, yes that is correct, 2.5 million, who claim they need a badge are to be put under the microscope to wheedle out any false claims. The first change in how the badges are given out will come when GPs are excused from the duty of allocating them. Councils will also be stopped from issuing the badges, as some issue them on request without even checking the validity of the claim.

Assessment centres

Instead the badges will now be handed out by the Department for Transport (DfT) which they believe, will cut the number of applicants at a stroke. It was generally accepted that many GPs did not like saying no to patients who asked for a badge in case it interfered with their relationship as Doctor, Patient, and the trust that should be inherent. In future the applicant will have to attend an assessment centre where his/her claim will be investigated.

Anti-fraud measures stepped up

The badge will now be much more difficult to copy. Instead of the simple slip of paper that is used at the moment, the new badge will incorporate technology used for tax discs etc. It will be laminated and contain both a photograph of the driver and a hologram. Only disabled people and the carers of disabled children will be allowed to hold a badge. The charge for the badge will actually go up fourfold from £2.50 to £10.
A conservative estimate of the savings generated by the change in the qualification criteria for the badge is put at £10 million.

Charities declare support

Surprisingly enough many disabled charities are delighted at the crackdown because they believe fraudulent users are stopping those that truly need to use the spaces from accessing them. It may well be that in future a badge holder’s motor vehicle insurance policy could be checked against their blue badge to guarantee their id via the number plate.

Tags: Blue Badge system, parking facilities
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Top Gear presenter caught between a rock and a hard place

Thursday, December 30th, 2010

For many motoring enthusiasts, Christmas is not the same without the Top Gear Christmas Special.

The programme fronted by the ebullient Jeremy Clarkson and ably accompanied by James May and Richard Hammond has been top of the motoring TV programmes for millions, over the years. Their infectious enthusiasm apparent to all.

The series which has just completed its 15^th year will be back early in 2011 and it will be a relief for many viewers as the last series was definitely shorter than previous years. The show is famed for its presenters putting fast cars through their paces and millions of viewers over the years must have obtained motor insurance quotes on vehicles they first saw on Top Gear.

Of course the series most famous episode was the one where Richard Hammond had his horrific accident in 2006. The dragster car he was driving crashed at 300mph and Hammond was in a coma with serious head injuries for many days. It may well be the two Christmas Specials that will be broadcast this year will also be remembered for one of its reporters receiving serious injury.

According to early reports James May suffered a head injury while filming the second of the two programmes in Syria. Apparently May was hurt when helping to get Jeremy Clarkson’s car out of a ditch. The recovery of the vehicle involved attaching a tow rope to the car and when the rope went taut James May was entangled in the rope. He was catapulted to one side, knocking his head against a rock. The presenter was rushed to hospital and given a brain scan as his injuries were judged to be that serious.

All turned out okay though and fans of the series will see the programme on Boxing Day. Why were the boys in Syria? Apparently they were trying to recreate the journey of the three wise men in the original Christmas story. The entire journey covered 1200 miles and viewers will have to wait until December 26^th for the outcome of the epic route.

The series also has another Christmas Special which was filmed in the USA and features the boys driving a Mercedes SLS, a Ferrari 458 Italia and a Porsche GT3 RS.

Tags: Car Insurance, Car Safety, Car Types
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Motorists promised a review of bad weather planning… again

Monday, December 6th, 2010

As the winter weather plays havoc with motorists best laid plans in the UK, questions are being asked about the Highways Agency and if it is up to the job. Many car drivers will be asking why the question hasn’t been brought up before.

Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, has announced an urgent review into how the varying transport authorities are coping with the unseasonal snow and early indications would suggest they are hardly coping at all. He said in one interview that urgent action had been taken in the summer to make sure the government agencies were better prepared for severe weather this winter, including a national salt and grit reserve. It would appear to have made little difference.

Weather forecasters have certainly done their bit as they have broadly pinpointed the areas where the snow would fall and when. However, this seems to be making very little difference to how the authorities in those areas cope. Seven days into this cold snap, airports at Dundee, Doncaster, Edinburgh, Teeside, Gatwick and Southampton are closed. In the case of Southampton warnings from the met office clearly indicated the area would get snow 48 hours before it fell and yet any plans made were obviously insufficient. Southern rail who would have had the same warnings have closed their network down as well.

It is, however, the poor motorist who once more bears the brunt of the bad weather. Of course there is no excuse for motorists going out in bad weather when they have been warned that snow is imminent and their journey isn’t urgent, but is there any justification that motorists should be stuck in their vehicles for two nights in an area of the country where two main road arteries dissect the region. This has happened on the major trunk road that is the A57 in South Yorkshire.

It certainly makes a mockery of any driver car insurance if no-one can actually get in the car and how many car drivers have turned to their breakdown insurance in the last 7 days to find that they can’t get through.

It is for sure that many frustrated travellers will await the review with interest. Whether they can take any notice of the outcome will be a different matter altogether.

Tags: Car Insurance, car insurance advice, Motor insurance
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