ABD call for heads to roll and we’re all going on a summer holiday with safety tips for the UK and abroad
News round-up is back with the highlights of the last week’s fleet news and speed cameras continue to be a hot topic, especially so for out first story from ABD. Other stories this past seven days have had us thinking about the summer holidays, what with the schools having broken up for summer and thereby congestion at rush hour easing slightly and making driving become a little less fraught. So are we going to enjoy it? Well a large number of you will decide this is the perfect time to throw yourself into driving on the other side of the road and set about learning a completely different set of road rules! Thankfully we have some helpful hints to make your continental journeys go without a hitch.
And so to our first story and the Association of British Drivers call for heads to roll in the wake of the statistics released by Lancashire authorities and published by The Lancashire Evening Post. The figures are said to show conclusively that since the installation of three specific speed cameras in Preston accidents and casualties have increased, while fines totalling £18,000 have been collected.
ABD chairman Brian Gregory stated he founds it scandalous that authorities who possess statistics showing an increase in casualties continued to operate and profit from such speed cameras, he continued: “The government should get a grip and insist that those responsible for such malpractice in all regions are removed from public service with immediate effect".
Do you agree? Do you feel speed cameras are no longer a safety measure but a revenue maker for local authorities? Why not make your views heard by leaving your comments below.
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For those of you heading off to sunnier climes, Europe Assist were on hand this past week with advice on making keeping your self-drive holiday on the right track with some basic to-do hints. They advise that you should check on the driving laws in your country of destination; even if you are a regular driver on the continent laws do change, such as the recent reduction in speed limit from 120kph (75 mph) to 110kph (68mph) which came into effect on the 7th March in Spain. Failure to check on such basic laws could leave you open to prosecution and in some cases, such as in France, you could have your EU licence confiscated on the spot if you are found to have exceed a limit by 40kph; in a country where its speed limits can differ from region to region you would be fool hardy not to do so.
More information on driving abroad can be found at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site at www.fco.gov.uk.
Whilst most drivers travelling abroad ensure that they are covered on their motor insurance for their journey Europe Assist remind us that it is just as important to ensure you have the necessary breakdown cover, travel insurance and medical cover.
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For those of you staying closer to home for your holidays you may be one of the thousands of people who will be heading off on the motorway to the North West with your caravan, trailer or boat in tow. If so the North West Highways Agency new campaign beginning Aug 1, has you in mind.
The ‘Take Extra Care When Towing’ campaign is highlighting a number of incident ‘hot spots’, which are en-route to popular North West destinations such as The Lake District, North Wales and Blackpool, which include:
- M6 junctions 32 – 33 (northbound)
- M6 junctions 41 – 40 (southbound)
- Between the M6 and M56 around Lymm interchange
- M6 northbound Junctions 25 – 26 and the M56 between junctions 12 and 14.
The campaign will be using various messages on motorway sign boards near these hotspots to encourage drivers to think before they tow. Breakdowns and accidents caused by towing when the correct care or checks are not carried out not only incur a large recovery bill for the driver, but hours of disruption and misery for fellow motorway users.
Andy Withington, the Highways Agency’s Service Delivery Manager, said: "Because of our location and the strategic importance of major holiday routes like the M6, it is important we continue to ask those who tow trailers, horse boxes, boats and caravans to take extra care. I hope our ‘take extra care’ messages will remind drivers they need to prepare before dusting off their trailers or caravans for the first long break of the year and think about safer towing once they are on the road."
The key points for safe towing include:
- Ensure your caravan/trailer/horse box/boat is regularly maintained and checked.
- Always check tyres and brake lights before any journey.
- All loads must be correctly balanced within the caravan or trailer.
- Adhering to the correct speed limit when towing is imperative.
- Ensure you have the correct insurance and recovery cover in place.
Further information, including the DVD Fit to Tow and an advice leaflet ‘Hitched’, can be viewed at http://www.highways.gov.uk/towing.
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Keeping on the safety theme, IAM’s chief examiner and Britain’s top advanced driver Peter Rodger has this week given us his six best tips on how to use your indicators. Rodger said: “Giving signals is a way of talking to other road users so they can plan their actions. Make sure these signals are clear, timely and necessary, to give other people as much notice as possible when you plan to change speed or direction.”
- Always give clear signals when they are required. Not signalling when you need to, such as approaching a junction or changing lane, is annoying at best and at worst dangerous.
- Signal early. There is no point indicating as you make the manoeuvre. This is a particular problem with changing lanes on motorways where late signals are a major threat to motorcyclists who might be taking advantage of their size to pass a queue of traffic.
- Don’t give signals if nobody else is around to see them. This encourages you to check properly if anybody is there.
- Give signals to pedestrians. There might be no traffic around, but if you’re planning to turn and there are pedestrians on the pavement, they need to know your intentions.
- Check your lights weekly. You can’t give clear signals if you have a dead bulb, and driving with one is illegal!
- Never underestimate the power of body language. Other drivers won’t always give appropriate signals, but you can tell a lot by their positioning and speed. If they start to slow down for no apparent reason, the chances are they are about to do something.
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IAM Drive & Survive’s head of training, Simon Elstow, offered his top tips on how to deal with distracting kids on long journeys in the car: “Kids can be noisy, disruptive and distracting, especially if they get bored. The trick is to keep them occupied as much as possible and to keep your attention on the road” said Elstow.
- Always leave a gap of at least two seconds between you and the car in front as following too closely cuts reaction. Give yourself space and time to spot hazards and keep your kids safe.
- Keep them occupied by inventing games that promote and reward quiet behaviour without needing the driver’s direct involvement your participation.
- Portable games consoles or in-car DVD players are great for keeping kids occupied for hours, but the soundtracks can be just as distracting as the kids so ensure you supply them with headphones.
- Pack plenty of food and drink to keep them happy.
- Extra stops for them to let off steam such as a playground is a must.
- Have a plastic bag (without any holes) at hand for travel sickness.
- A second adult to look after the children makes a massive difference, leaving the driver to drive.
- Find somewhere safe to stop to deal with fighting kids. Never be tempted to turn around in your seat to deal with such situations.
Do you have any tips for your fellow drivers when dealing with disruptive situations in the car? Why not leave your helpful hints in our comments section below. There’s no prize for the funniest, but we can’t wait to read them!
We hope you’ve found the articles in the week’s news round-up informative and entertaining and we’re already looking forward to bringing you the best of the fleet related news next week. Until then stay safe and if you are off on your holidays have a great time and we’ll see you when you get back…
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