IAM RoadSmart members have a pessimistic view of how the country’s exit from the European Union will affect them as drivers. The road safety charity conducted a poll of over 1,000 members and visitors to its website between 27 June and 12 July, asking how the decision by UK voters to leave the EU would affect them. Of the 1,093 respondents, when asked if they thought the exit would have an … [Read more...]
Insurance News
Driving test to change up a gear
Millions of newly qualified drivers will be better prepared for life on the road under changes to the driving test that will better reflect real life driving. The proposals announced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will help reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads, and ensure safer drivers and journeys. The changes are: increase the … [Read more...]
Business drivers give blessing to autonomous cars
Research suggests that 43% of UK businesses believe their drivers will accept using autonomous cars. Also, findings by vehicle leasing and fleet management company Arval shows that 38% believe that autonomous cars will have a positive impact on existing road safety issues. Shaun Sadlier, Head of Consultancy at Arval, said, “Clearly, autonomous cars will represent a huge change in … [Read more...]
Newslines 4 July
AA Ireland is being sold to a private insurance company. The business is recovering about £129 Million. Mitsubishi owners in Japan will get about £700 each from the company to offset calculated losses from false mileage claims over the last decade. The discrepancy was revealed by Renault Nissan which had models built for them by Mitsubishi and the row led to the resignation of the … [Read more...]
European wide road safety project may exclude UK
As the UK government begins contemplating the process for leaving the European Union, road safety charity Brake, is highlighting the need to make sure life-saving regulations and standards are not just maintained but improved upon. Road safety and the battle for sustainable transport in the UK is currently assisted by European Commission regulations and requirements in a number of … [Read more...]
Tougher eye-test proposed for older drivers
Road safety specialists have recommended raising the mandatory fitness to drive self-declaration for licence renewal from 70 to 75 years old - if proof of an eye-sight test is made compulsory. The recommendations are made by the Older Drivers Task Force which today publishes Supporting Safe Driving into Old Age, a report setting out a national older driver strategy. The Task Force, welcomed by … [Read more...]
Car makers are raising their game over safety
Vehicle safety test results from Euro NCAP reveal that car makers are embracing the importance of offering a full range of advanced safety technologies on new vehicles and accepting that standard rather than optional fitment is the best policy. The Alfa Romeo Giulia and SEAT Ateca achieved a top, five-star score in Euro NCAP tests, with their portfolios of safety equipment crucial in securing … [Read more...]
Fewer police on roads leading to safety issues
Declines in the level of police enforcement of traffic offences are contributing to Europe’s failure to cut the numbers dying in road collisions, according to the European Transport Safety Council, authors of two new reports on road safety. More than 26,000 people died on EU roads last year, the first increase since 2001 according to the ETSC annual road safety performance index (PIN) report. … [Read more...]
Classic cars now highly sort after – by thieves
Thieves are turning back to the 1980s. Car crime in Britain has jumped up by eight per cent in just a year, with 81,000 vehicles stolen from their owners last year. Proving that classic cars are just as much a target for thieves, 40 classic Fords were stolen in the first 4 months of this year. Rising values and a shortage of parts, make classics highly desirable for criminals warns stolen … [Read more...]
Newslines 3 June
The safety and confidence of older drivers could be vastly improved if they were more connected to the outside world with the accident alerts, fault warnings and breakdown alerts that now come as standard in new vehicles. This is the view of Penny Searles, CEO of Smartdriverclub, the UK’s first connected car ‘upgrade’ plug-in service for older cars costing £6.60 per month. Insurer More Than … [Read more...]