The MOT test changed in May 2018, with tighter rules around emissions and safety as well as higher fines for drivers caught with an unroadworthy vehicle. A freedom of information request revealed 68,027 have been issued with penalty charges across England and Wales by police since the changes. The Met Police force caught the most drivers (15,772), followed by West Yorkshire (6,019), Merseyside … [Read more...]
Drink drive issue not improving
The number of people killed in road accidents where the driver was over the drink drive limit has not dropped since 2010. Provisional figures released by the Department for Transport estimate there were 240 such deaths in 2018, exactly the same rate of fatalities ten years ago. The total number of casualties caused by drink driving increased to 8,700 in 2018, up 1% from 2017. The number … [Read more...]
Vehicle thefts still rising
Vehicle theft is still rising and now passed 52% the level it was six years ago. Clive Wain, Head of Police Liaison for Tracker commented: “The fact that vehicle theft has increased by 5% in just one year and ultimately a staggering 52% over six years, proves it is still very much a big issue. Thieves will always target vehicles with insufficient security, and technology such as keyless entry … [Read more...]
Car insurance at a two-year high in Wales
The cost of car insurance in Wales is at a two-year high, according to new data today. Drivers in the region can now expect to pay £712 for their car insurance, on average, following increases over the past year. That’s according to Confused.com’s latest car insurance price index, powered by Willis Towers Watson. Based on more than six million quotes every quarter, it’s the most comprehensive … [Read more...]
Brits risk safety and fines as chill bites
Millions of Brits are risking their safety and their bank balance by driving with their windscreen iced up in wintry conditions, according to Halfords Autocentres. The dark, wet and cold months can be the most treacherous on the road - with motorists more likely to be caught off-guard by the unpredictable conditions. And a survey of 2,000 motorists found 35 per cent admitted to driving off with … [Read more...]
Whats App for thieves
Motor thieves are using encrypted WhatsApp groups to plan and execute car thefts as the UK vehicle crime wave continues, according to vehicle protection specialists at AX. Criminals draw up and share ‘shopping lists’ of makes and models so that vehicles can be stolen to order, says the provider of intelligent vehicle protection and management technologies for the automotive and insurance … [Read more...]
Speeding tickets hit record
The number of speeding tickets issued to motorists in England and Wales has hit a record high, according to government figures. They show that there were over 2.1 million speeding offences recorded in 2018, up by almost 100,000 on the previous year's figures. With the number having increased year on year since 2011, speeding now represents 85% of all motoring offences. In total there were 2.5 … [Read more...]
All is sometimes not what it seems – beware counterfeits
The Independent Garage Association has collaborated with the Intellectual Property Office to highlight the dangers of counterfeit and consumer supplied car parts within the IPO’s Crime and Enforcement Report 2018 – 2019. The IGA’s section of the report explains how proving the authenticity of a part can be difficult if it is not bought directly from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), and … [Read more...]
Newslines 5 August
Over 2.7 million drivers have had a collision or veered off the road in the last two years because they were distracted by their mobile phone. The new study for Kwik Fit found that of these drivers, just over one million had collided with another car while their attention was diverted from the road and a further 4% of motorists, some 1.8 million drivers, have been involved in a collision in the … [Read more...]
Drinking, dementia and dangerous roads
The number of motorists caught drunk behind the wheel in Wales topped almost 3,000 last year and research finds motorists are being caught out the morning after they have been drinking. According to new Freedom of Information data obtained by Confused.com 2913 motorists in Wales were caught drink drinking in 2018, up from 2679 in 2017. In particular, South Wales saw the worst of the issue and is … [Read more...]