Brake calls for more disqualifications not licence points, IAM launch top tip web site and easier road sigs for all?
The weather may be freezing but here at Fleet Directory we’ll keep cosy and warm with all the last seven days of fleet news stories, so button up your cardigan, grab your hot chocolate and read on…
Brake, the road safety charity is calling for stronger treatment of drivers who repeatedly brake the law and yet, after reaching the 12 point limit of their licence, are allowed to continue to drive on roads.
Brake teamed up with Direct Line and found that using data from the DVLA revealed a staggering 10,072 drivers are driving on UK road with 12 or more points on their licence, with London and the South East, Yorkshire and Humberside, and the North West having the highest concentrations.
The charity believes the plea of "exceptional hardship" is being flouted and the hardship of those families affected by risky drivers is being ignored. And whilst the charity believes the cost to human life is being side-lined, the cost to other drivers cannot be ignored with half of those drivers with in excess of 25 points on their licences have been found guilty of uninsured driving offences.
The worst offenders of this driving licence bingo, who are all still in possession of their licences are:
- 32 Points: A Bradford driver holds the most points on their licence in Great Britain after being caught driving uninsured four times, receiving eight points for each offence;
- 31 Points: A Manchester driver was caught driving uninsured five times and received six points for four of these offences, and seven points for the fifth;
- 30 Points: There are five drivers from Stoke-on-Trent, Northampton, Nottingham, Blackburn and Derby who have received points for driving uninsured, speeding, failing to give the identity of the driver, red light running and mobile phone offences. One of these drivers was caught speeding seven times, as well as driving uninsured and running a red light;
- 28 Points: A Leeds driver has been caught driving uninsured two times, at eight points each time, and caught driving "otherwise than in accordance with a licence" four times, at three points each time;
- 27 Points: Five drivers from Doncaster, Wakefield, Chatham and Newcastle-upon-Tyne received points for driving uninsured, speeding, failing to identify the driver, driving without due care and attention, mobile phones offences, red light running, parking on double yellow lines. One of these drivers was caught speeding on a motorway eight times, as well as driving with defective tyres;
- 26 Points: Three drivers from Carlisle, Edinburgh and Motherwell have received points for driving uninsured, speeding, mobile phone offences, driving without due care and attention and defective tyres;
- 25 Points: Three drivers from Enfield, Preston and Wakefield have received points from driving uninsured, speeding and failing to give the identity of the driver.
Julie Townsend, Brake campaigns director, said: “We are asking the government to act quickly to address this appalling situation. Clearly when the points system was designed, it wasn’t intended that nearly half of drivers with 12 points would evade disqualification. It is outrageous these individuals, who rack up offence after offence, are allowed to continue driving, causing enormous risk to the public. Drivers who repeatedly flout traffic laws have shown complete disregard for the lives of other road users. They have also had ample opportunity to desist breaking the law before reaching 12 points and facing disqualification. It’s time for the government to get tough with these selfish, irresponsible and potentially deadly drivers, and put a stop to their illegal and dangerous driving before it results in a devastating crash.”
Do you think 12 points should mean instant disqualification or do you agree that there are sometimes extenuating circumstances that warrant repeat offenders being allowed to keep their licence? Please leave your comment in the box below and make your views heard.
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The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) have launched their drivingadvice.org.uk website with lots of information to prepare drivers for the winter conditions, including tips on driving in ice, snow, rain, fog and high winds, and keep them updated with weather forecasts and traffic news.
IAM spokesperson Caroline Holmes says, “The number of serious crashes on Britain’s roads is reducing and we want to see that trend continue. When the weather’s bad motorists should always question whether they need to go out at all. Our website will help drivers make the right decision, prepare for winter and enjoy their driving, but do it safely.”
Britain’s top advanced driver, Peter Rodger is offering us his weekly tips on the harsh winter ahead, he says, “Now is the time to give your car a health-check before winter conditions take their toll. Bad weather can strike quickly, and more severely than you expect, so it’s really important to be ready.”
Rodger suggests some easy tips to prepare your car for winter:
- In a UK winter you are more likely to encounter wind and rain, so make sure your windscreen wipers are in good condition and that you clean the inside of the windscreen regularly;
- Do a proper check of your vehicle – particularly the tyres – top up your washer fluid and make sure last year’s ice scraper and de-icer are up to the job;
- The legal minimum for tyre tread in the UK is 1.6mm, but for optimum safety start looking for replacements if the depth is below 3mm;
- Check all your lights;
- Pack an emergency kit, including a warm coat, high visibility jacket, some food and water, a good pair of boots, de-icer and scraper, a torch, a spade and a mobile phone with a well-charged battery. Remember to store your emergency breakdown number.
“Many roads are still pot-holed after last winter so having a well-maintained car, and paying particular attention to your tyres, is going to be extremely important," adds Rodger.
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News too from IAM’s commercially operated arm, IAM Drive & Survive have won the title of ‘Driver Training Company of the Year’ for the second time by promoting and diversifying its green driving instruction courses, whilst incorporating fuel economy training into other driver awareness programmes.
“We are really excited to have received this award for a second time – a real sign of our on-going dedication to road safety, and our eco-friendly credentials. Driving with our easy methods in mind can help reduce driver stress levels, improve driver attitude, increase the safety of both drivers and passengers, and ultimately increase fleet operational efficiency,” commented IAM Drive & Survive CEO Simon Best.
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The Association of British Drivers (ABD) has welcomed the Government’s Traffic Signs Review, with its aims to reduce road sign clutter, however, is has voiced its concern relating to two specific areas:
- Greater freedom for local authorities: While the ABD believes this is a move to intended to remove unnecessary red tape and give authorities the freedom to make changes to road signs and speed restrictions to their own roads, it is concerned that many authorities currently do little to advertise potential changes and the opportunity for objections to be lodged may be lost. The ABD are calling for all local authorities to have to publish any proposed changes and on-site notices should also be put up with a website address giving the full details of the proposal;
- Proposed Restricted Parking Zones (RPZs): Unlike existing Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) the new RPZ’s will not have road markings within and will only show those restrictions, which differ from the usual CPZs , on those signs within its area. There will be a full sign of restrictions upon entry to the zone, meaning drivers would having to note and remember what applies within it.
The ABD say this would only cause confusion for drivers and feel councils with be “rubbing their hands” at possible revenue caused by removed yellow lines and feel this is a step to far.
What do you feel is the way forward? Are our roads too cluttered with signs or is removing them more likely to cause confusion rather than simplifying things for the driver? Or will this be another cash cow for local councils? Have your say in our comments box below.
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It’s still Tyre Safety Month and with the wettest period of the year running from October to January, now is the time to make those basic, but oh so important checks.
“Adequate tread depth is essential for grip in wet conditions. Drivers who fail to make sure their tyres have enough tread not only risk their own life but also that of other road users who may be involved in any subsequent tyre related accident. However, making sure your tyres are safe and legal only takes a few minutes and is now incredibly easy thanks to the 20p test,” explains Stuart Jackson, TyreSafe chairman.
To take the 20p test, drivers should insert a 20p coin into the main grooves of the tyre. If the outer band of the coin is visible when inserted, then the tyre may not have sufficient depth and should be checked by a qualified specialist.
Visit the TyreSafe website (www.tyresafe.org) for full details on how to take the test, or alternatively visit one of the hundreds of garages and tyre dealers who are offering free tyre safety checks as part of October’s tyre safety month.
This includes National Tyres and Autocare who are offering free tyre checks to fleet drivers in full support of this month’s safety theme. To book a check, visit http://www.national.co.uk. The free service carried out by a trained fitter, covers all the tyres on fleet cars and vans – including the spare – ensuring your tyres are safe for the roads. The examination covers 3 key points: tread depth, air pressure and general tyre condition.
What are you waiting for?
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Green issues next and congratulations go to TOM TOM and its 2011 GreenFleet Award for its WORKsmart™–Eco innovation to help fleet vehicles reduce their fuel consumption.
“Achieving success in such a highly regarded awards programme is a real achievement and we are delighted to be recognised for the immediate impact we can make to businesses with our easy-to-deploy solutions,” commented Giles Margerison, TomTom Business Solutions’ Director, UK & Ireland.
The WORKsmart – Eco system includes the ecoPLUS device, which feeds data directly from a vehicle’s engine to give managers, showing where and when fuel was wasted, giving organisations the opportunity to improved fleet efficiency through employees improving their own driving performance and using their navigation devices to find the most fuel-efficient routes to their destinations.
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Continuing on the green theme and Millers Oils, have offered their top tips for a greener drive:
- Avoid any unnecessary weight in the car by taking off any roof racks or roof boxes that aren’t needed to reduce drag;
- Ensure that tyre pressures are correct. Under inflated tyres are not only dangerous but make your engine work harder and can increase fuel consumption by up to three per cent;
- Check your oil once a month. Three in five motorists don’t check their oil as often as they should or know what the correct specification of engine oil is for their vehicles, leaving them susceptible to costly repair bills
- Maintain steady speeds to lower fuel consumption, avoiding sharp acceleration and heavy braking;
- Use a high performance fuel treatment to keep your engine clean and reduce your cars emissions;
- Turn off the air conditioning – on average, air conditioning uses 10 per cent more fuel depending on the vehicle;
- Stay within the speed limit. The faster you go, the greater the fuel consumption and the greater the pollution to the environment;
- Ensure you change gear at the right time. Changing up gears a little earlier can reduce your revs per minute and reduce your fuel usage. On a diesel car, change up when the counter reaches 2,000 rpm or 2,500 rpm in a petrol car;
- If you get stuck in a traffic jam, switch off the engine. It will save on fuel costs and reduce emissions.
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And finally….
Craig Pullen, systems development manager at RunYourCars, has been driving a Smart Fortwo electric car for more than six months and has clocked up more than 5,000 miles, but he’s now preparing to add a few more to that total and raise money for automotive industry charity BEN at the same time.
In an effort to raise awareness of the viability of the electric vehicle’s place in today’s fleets, Mr Pullen will put the Electrocity ‘Electric Highway’ to the test by travelling on a 300 mile round trip from Run Your Cars office in Henley-in-Arden near Birmingham via Oxford and London and using the charging stations on the M40 (Oxford Services), M25 (South Mimms) and M1 (Newport Pagnell Services), during the weekend of November 12 and 13.
“We hope that Craig’s commuting round-trip will help to show people that electric vehicles are not only green but that travelling by electric vehicle is getting more and more practical. The ‘Electric Highway’ is providing the infrastructure to get Britain’s electric car revolution moving and will reduce carbon emissions at a time when petrol prices are sky-high," commented Electrocity PR manager Mike Cheshire.
We wish Craig well and if anyone who would like to donate, they can do so at http://www.justgiving.com/CraigPullenElectric
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Well that’s it for this week, but be assured there will be another news round-up to look forward to next week. Until then drive safely and don’t forget to get your tyres checked!
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