Driving News
Drivers face new speeding penalties
The Government plans to introduce tougher new penalties to deal with speeding and other forms of excessive road behaviour.
The plans, which are set out in a consultation published on 20 November by the Department for Transport, propose a number of new measures including:
~ variable fines for speeding based upon the excess speed,
~ six point fixed penalties for those substantially exceeding the speed limit,
~ increase in the penalty for using a mobile phone whilst driving,
~ fixed penalty offences for careless driving,and
~ changes to procedures where drink driving is involved
Government Christmas drink-drive message gets gets £1m radio campaign
The government’s latest Christmas drink-driving campaign is to be backed up by a £1m series of radio advertisements in addition to the TV campaign, released last year, which combines Christmas songs such as Silent Night with images of car crashes.
The radio adverts end with the words, “Drinking and driving is one Christmas tradition we can all live without”. There will also be a national poster campaign at bus stops, on buses and on billboards.
In the 32 years since the government first drink-drive was launched, deaths from drink-driving have reduced considerably although this year’s total is predicted to be higher than last year. In 1976, 1,600 people were killed in drink-related road accidents. This year the figure is expected to be around the 500 mark. The government have stated that they are prepared to do what it takes to reduce fatalities.
Tesco warning over vehicle alterations— Only Finance 10-09-08
Only Finance reports that Tesco Insurance has warned drivers in the UK about making alterations to their cars which could invalidate their car insurance policy unless they inform their insurer of the modification.
It states that in a recent survey carried out by Tesco, the company found that 15 per cent of drivers modified their vehicles and could have claims rejected and policies invalidated as a result.
Only Finance reports that Tesco states that programmes like Pimp My Ride UK and a growing number of car magazines and websites encourage drivers to make modifications to their vehicles.
The dangers of cheap breathalysers
Parker’s, producers of the Car Price Guide, have warned that thousands of motorists risk losing their licences and endangering the lives of others because they rely on the cheap do-it-yourself breathalysers which have become widely available – especially over the Internet.
The testers, which are mass-produced to low standards to make them as cheap as possible are, police state, mostly useless in indicating whether a driver is under or over the limit and as a result could be providing many drivers with the false security that they are fit to drive when in reality they are not.
Uninsured levy could be reduced— Money News 11-09-08
Money News reports that the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) has said the £30 levy on car insurance policies to cover uninsured drivers could be reduced.
Money Newsreports that uninsured drivers present a massive problem to the insurance industry with uninsured drivers ten times more likely to have a drink-driving conviction and six times more likely to be driving an unsafe vehicle. A BIBA spokesman has indicated that if new measures to combat drivers without cover made a “dent”, then the levy would theoretically decline.
