Fuel price freeze

Pasties, static caravans, charities and now fuel: clearly if we make enough fuss about a new tax, the government runs away and hides.

FairFuelUK, the campaign backed by the Freight Transport Association (FTA) which has been lobbying the Government for the past year in order to stop planned fuel duty increases has welcomed the "delay" in the fuel duty rise.

James Hookham of the FTA said: " It went down to the political equivalent of penalties, but this time the public and businesses have got something to celebrate! The Chancellor now sees the merits of using fuel duty cuts to stimulate growth by keeping cash within businesses. The government needs to engage in a national debate about the role of fuel taxation in the economy and we urge the Chancellor to seize this opportunity."

Having frozen the tax rise once, it could be hard for the Chancellor to bring it in next January as planned, unless the cost of fuel drops significantly between now and then. However, if they do freeze it again, they may want to plan a bit further ahead. On yesterday's Newsnight, a hapless government minister, Chloe Smith was trying to explain why the government had ruled out a freeze two days ago and was now bringing it in. It was all part of a careful plan, apparently. "Is this some sort of joke?" was Jeremy Paxman's terse response.

In the meantime, if you happen to know a Cornish caravan park owner with a big car to fuel, ask him to get the drinks in from now on: he has had about one tax concession a month since the Budget

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2012

The IAM will once again have a stand at Goodwood Festival of Speed, which runs from the 28^th June to the 1^st July. If you're going to the show this year, pop along and visit the team on stand 277, next to the Land Rover driving experience.

 

Are drivers and riders becoming safer?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier this month the Ministry of Justice issued figures that showed that the total number of magistrates' court proceedings for motoring offences fell from one million in 2010 to 888,000 in 2011, down 12.6 per cent. The findings also show that the number of people facing prosecution in magistrates' courts fell from 630,900 in 2010 to 566,800 in 2011, down 10 per cent. 

 

Do these figures mean that we are becoming a nation of safer drivers, or is it that there are more drivers simply not getting caught?

 

The expansion of awareness courses for offences like speeding could well be having an impact on these figures – more people are opting for courses rather than points, which results in fewer offences. It's a good example of how training and skills are the best way to improve driver and rider safety. The trick for all of us involved with the IAM is to encourage people to invest in driver training before they are caught speeding or fined for a motoring offence.

 

But while we fully support increasing and improving courses for some driving offences including speeding, we need to know why fewer drivers are being prosecuted for the more serious offences. The number of people facing prosecution for causing death by dangerous driving fell from 282 in 2010 to 201 in 2011, down nearly 30 per cent.

 

The government needs to explain the reasons for such a dramatic fall, so we can be sure the numbers are falling for the right reasons.  It could be that more bad and dangerous drivers are simply getting away with it.

Selling points for Skill for Life

You already know the benefits of advanced driving and riding, and now the research supports it, but when talking to others it can sometimes be difficult to summarise what's in it for them. Bear in mind our top six tips on why it's worth getting a Skill for Life:

 

1.      Stress-free travel. Advanced training makes you a more tolerant, confident road user, and more aware of potential hazards.

2.      Fuel efficiency. Advanced driving and riding saves you fuel through improved anticipation.

3.      Lower insurance premiums via IAM Surety. 

4.      Free RAC cover with new Skill for Life purchases.

5.      Opportunities to carry on improving your driving and riding.

6.      You'll get the chance to be part of a local IAM group.

Your rights if you're hit by an uninsured driver

 

 

There are two million uninsured vehicles on the roads in the UK. if you're in an accident with one of them, where do you stand?

British drivers can choose between three levels of car insurance:

Third-party cover: in the event of an accident, this protects third parties (drivers, pedestrians and other members of the public) if you injure them or damage their property. It provides no cover for your car.

Third party, fire and theft (TPFT) cover: This extends third-party cover to include theft of your car and fire damage caused to it by vandalism or mechanical failure.

Fully comprehensive cover: The highest level of cover, this extends TPFT to include damage to your own car in an accident, even if you are to blame.

 

Under British law, third-party cover is the bare minimum level of car insurance required to drive in the UK. If you drive a car without any insurance or a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification), then you are breaking the law. Nevertheless, with two million uninsured drivers roaming the UK's roads, increasing numbers of accidents involve these law-breakers.

Cracking down on uninsured vehicles
Driving without insurance carries a maximum fine of £5,000 and six to eight penalty points added to the offender's licence. Courts can also order the immediate disqualification of offenders.

Driving without insurance can be punished by the issue of a £200 fixed-penalty notice and six penalty points. The police have wide powers to stop vehicles and inspect insurance certificates, with 300,000 convictions for uninsured driving being handed out each year.

The police can also seize, dispose of and even destroy uninsured vehicles. Indeed, police officers confiscate around 1,500 uninsured vehicles each week. In addition, the Road Safety Act 2006 provides harsher sentences for those who kill or are involved in accidents while driving uninsured.

For the record, uninsured drivers are roughly 10 times more likely to have been convicted of drink-driving, five times more likely to have been involved in road traffic accidents, frequently drive carelessly or recklessly, and are more likely to have committed other criminal offences.

So what are your rights when you're involved in an accident with an uninsured driver? How do you go about getting your money back?

Was it your fault?
If an accident was entirely your fault (for instance, you hit another car from behind), then you can't seek reimbursement from the other driver, regardless of whether they have insurance or not.

If you have 'fully comp' insurance, then you should claim against this policy for repairs.

Unfortunately, this will mean paying an excess (often £100 or more) and, possibly, losing your no-claims discount. If you make an 'at fault' claim and lose your no-claims discount, then your next renewal premium could leap dramatically and stay higher for at least three more years.

Since 2004, Direct Line has operated an 'uninsured driver promise' for fully comprehensive policyholders. If you make a claim for an accident that is not your fault and the other vehicle is uninsured, then you won't lose your no-claims discount and Direct Line will refund your excess.

Last week, the AA -- the UK's biggest insurance broker -- made a similar promise. Any driver insured through the AA involved in an accident with an uninsured vehicle will no longer lose their excess and no-claims discount.

The uninsured driver is to blame
In theory, at-fault uninsured drivers are personally responsible for all damages and personal injuries they cause. In practice, people driving without insurance have few or no assets to meet these financial liabilities. So the chance of successful recovering damages from an uninsured driver is nearly zero.

Where can you turn to reclaim uninsured damages?

The Motor Insurers' Bureau
The Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) has been operating since 1946 and is funded by the UK's motor insurers and -- by extension -- insured, law-abiding motorists.

If you're involved in accident with an uninsured vehicle and forced to claim on your own insurance, then the MIB will compensate your insurer for the costs of your claim. Once this compensation has been received, your insurer should reinstate your no-claims discount and cancel any corresponding premium increase.

The MIB pays out compensation to those who suffer personal injury or damage to their property as a result of accidents involving uninsured motor vehicles. In effect, this agreement between the government and the MIB ensures that innocent victims of uninsured drivers don't lose out financially.

Then again, when a driver is untraced, the MIB can pay compensation for property damage only where the vehicle concerned has been identified. So if both driver and vehicle are not identified (such as in 'hit and run' accidents), then the MIB won't pay out for property damage, but will pay out personal-injury claims.

Driving up premiums
According to the MIB, more than one in 25 drivers on British roads (4%) is uninsured.

These offenders place a huge financial burden on other motorists, estimated to be £380 million each year. As a result, they add £30 to the typical yearly premium for car insurance.

Half of motorists risk fines in France

Half of motorists are unaware that the breathalysers they will soon need to carry in France must be certified to the French NF standard, according to the IAM's (Institute of Advanced Motorists) latest web poll of 2300 respondents. Compulsory from 1st July, the easiest way to tell if the breathalyser complies with the French legislation is to make sure it has the blue circular NF logo, the French equivalent of the BSI kite mark in the UK.

Other findings show that 82 per cent of people think that the new regulations will have no effect on reducing drink driving, as intended by the French authorities. Only 13 per cent said that the new regulations will reduce people driving over the limit, and 70 per cent said that drivers will only carry them to comply with the law, and will not change their behaviour.

Despite a general scepticism about the impact these new regulations will have, compliance is set to be high. Seventy-five per cent of respondents plan to take the breathalyser kit with them. Only seven per cent said they didn't plan to. Eighteen per cent didn't know or hadn't thought about it.

The legal limit in France is 50 mg per 100 ml of blood, lower than in the UK (the UK limit is 80mg).

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: "Agree with the changes or not, from July 1st you will face a fine if you don't carry an NF approved breathalyser while travelling in France. While these are a good way of being sure you are safe to drive, if you're going to drink don't drive, and beware the morning after effect.

"We will be looking forward to seeing the evaluation of what impact this new legislation is having. Support is likely to be higher if people can see that carrying a breathalyser actually reduces drink driving."

AlcoSense Breathalyser managing director Hunter Abbott said: "There are a lot of products being sold as "French Breathalysers" which will not satisfy the Gendarmerie. If the product you buy has the French NF logo on it you'll be OK, otherwise the Gendarmerie will not accept it and may treat you the same way as if you do not have one at all. AlcoSense NF Breathalysers (Redline R1) are one of only two single use products on the market which are on the Official Securite Routier approved list. If you purchase a product not on the list or without the NF logo, it puts you at risk of breaking the new law."

IAM advice on Driving in Heavy Rain

Road safety charity the IAM is offering motorists advice on driving in heavy rain, following Met Office warnings of torrential rain over the coming days.

IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: "A suddenly very wet road surface increases the chances of slipping when braking or steering, which is a problem not just for motorists, but cyclists and motorcyclists too.

"When driving in wet conditions remember that stopping distances will increase, and visibility will be reduced. Drop your speed and give yourself more time to slow down."

In cases of severe flooding, you should reconsider making the journey at all. If it is unavoidable, and you have to drive through deep water, the IAM recommends drivers take the following precautions:

*   Drive on the highest section of the road and don't set off if a vehicle is approaching you
*   Leave time and space to avoid swamping other cars and pedestrians
*   Drive slowly and keep going once you have started – make sure you have a clear run. In a manual car, keep the revs high by "slipping the clutch" (which means the clutch is not fully engaged) all the time you are in the water
*   If you can't see where you are going to come out of the water, such as when approaching flooding on a bend, think twice about starting to drive into it
*   In deep water never take your foot off the accelerator, as this could allow water to travel up the exhaust pipe
*   Once you're out of the water, dry the brakes before you need them. The best way is to lightly apply the brake as you drive along for a few seconds, after checking nothing is following you too closely.

To help drivers stay safe and enjoy their driving this summer, the IAM has a new website, drivingadvice.org.uk<http://www.drivingadvice.org.uk/>, with traffic updates, weather forecasts, and driving tips, including: driving abroad, cycling, coping with Olympic congestion, and loading the car for a long journey.

Satnav Systems 'Make People Worse At Driving'

 

Satnav systems sometimes send motorists the wrong way but they can also impair their driving ability, according to a study by academics.

Drivers' performance was affected when listening to satnav-style directions in an experiment carried out by Lancaster University and Royal Holloway, University of London.

Volunteers were set tasks by a computer which mimicked the instructions given by a satnav.

The results showed that when people were following complicated satnav instructions they tended to drive faster, with more steering variations, as well as being less likely to notice pedestrians who might be stepping out.

Dr Polly Dalton, from the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, said: "What is interesting is that people were able to follow one simple instruction without any significant impact on their driving.

"But as soon as they had to remember a compound instruction, consisting of two sequential directions, we began to notice a difference in their driving ability.

"A lot of effort has gone into designing visually-friendly satnav devices but our research highlights the importance of the way in which the auditory instructions are given."

Dr Pragya Agarwal, from Lancaster University, said: "The results from our research have implications for the way these systems can be designed to be more effective and user-friendly in the future.

"With the increasing reliance on technology for navigation, it is important that such technology is designed so that it supports rather than detracts us from our primary task of driving."

Put a little ooh la la into your driving

Road safety charity the IAM is offering weekly motoring tips from Britain's top advanced driver, Peter Rodger. This week, he is giving some essential advice to those driving in France this summer.

*  From 1 July, all drivers and motorcyclists (excluding mopeds) need to carry a breathalyser kit, with two disposable breathalysers. The breathalyser must meet the NF standards (similar to the BSI here in the UK) and carry an NF certification.
*  Remember too, that the drink drive limit in France is lower than in the UK, 50mg compared to 80mg per 100ml of blood. If you're driving, don't drink, and beware the morning after effect.
*  You are required to carry a warning triangle, reflective jacket, and spare light bulbs in France.
*  Driving on the right hand side of the road, on unknown routes can be very tiring. Take regular breaks, and always stop for a proper rest if you're getting sleepy.
*  A child sitting in the front passenger seat must be at least 10 years old (or a baby up to 9 months in a rear-facing child seat).
*  While radar speed camera detectors are legal in the UK, in France they are illegal whether or not you are using them. This legislation includes satnav systems which show speed camera information.

IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: "The school holidays are fast approaching, and many people will be driving on the continent this summer. Driving abroad can be very different to driving at home, but preparation as always is key. Make sure your car is fit for the journey, plan your route in advance including fuel stops, and perhaps most importantly remember your breathalysers."

We are currently running a poll to find out how you feel about driving abroad, and what you know of the rules and regulations in other countries. In return, you will be entered into a free prize draw to win one of ten NF approved French breathalyser kits from Alcosense, worth £4.99 each. Give us your thoughts here<http://www.iam.org.uk/polls>.

Almost half of Britain's speed cameras switched off

More than 1,500 fixed speed cameras were not working last year, and hundreds of them will never be switched back on, says a report in The Sun.

Britain has 3,189 Gatso cameras, and last year 1,522 of them were out of action - 48% of the total.

In 2010, 37% of them were not operational, and in 2009 32% of them weren't, although most remain in place in order to ensure that drivers continue to slam on their brakes on sight of them.

The increase in non-functional cameras is the result of a £38m funding cut by the Government.

Fog lights on? You help cause 300,000 accidents a year

A survey investigated the effects of keeping your fog lamps on all the time has just been released and the results are far from pleasant.

It was found that over the last year 300,000 accidents were caused because of fog lights being used despite no impairment in visibility. To make matters worse, research has found that nearly three million drivers are happy leaving their fogs on all the time.

 

21% of drivers revealed they drove with extra illumination because their standard headlamps weren't deemed bright enough, while 14% of those surveyed admitted to using their fogs for purely cosmetic reasons.

 

Furthermore, 22% of 18-34 year olds claimed they appreciated the extra illumination for aesthetic reasons. Compare that to the 3% of 35-54 year olds who admit to the same crime.

And a crime it is. Using your fog lights in any situation other than when your visibility is down to 100m or less is an offence. Get busted and you'll find yourself with a £30 fine. Apparently London drivers are the worst for this offence.

 

The Highway Code dictates that drivers shouldn't:

Use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders

Use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced. You must switch them off when visibility improves to avoid dazzling other road users

The survey said "Fog lights are designed for a very specific purpose – helping drivers to see and be seen when visibility is severely reduced. Misusing these lights has the effect of dazzling and distracting other motorists and causes a staggering number of crashes, as evidenced by research. If you can see further than 100m (roughly the length of a football pitch) then your fog lights should remain off".

It's also a case of common courtesy. Don't be a fool and blind your fellow motorists. Time to get your common sense head on Britain!!