Hi-Way Driving Ltd

Report on Young Drivers

The recommendations from the UK Parliament's transport Select Committee with regard to young drivers has been published and gained reasonable amount of publicity.

The main recommendations which have been made:

A minimum 12-month learner period;

raising the age of unaccompanied driving to 18;

A maximum blood alcohol limit of 20mg per 100ml of blood fro up to 12 months after passing the test (instead of the current 80mg per 100ml of blood)

A ban from carrying any passengers aged 10-20 years between 11pm and 5am for up 12 months after passing the test

A structured learning programme undertaken and examined by an Approved Driving Instructor.

The committee report also recommends that the Government analyses best practise from other countries before introducing any graduate licence type measures.

We need to emphasise this is only a report and many of the recommendations are not new although they may vary a little from previous debates.  Whilst there is great concerns about the vulnerability of young and newly qualified drivers we do need to be reasonably confident that any measures which are introduced are going to make a difference overall and not just displace serious injury and death by a few years.

Ack AIRSO.

Uninsured Drivers

Over 78,000 vehicles were seized by the Police during 2006 for no insurance of which 40% were subsequently crushed or sold.

There are currently around 34 million vehicles on the roads in the UK

Uninsured driving costs the honest motorist an additional £30 per year on their premiums and something in the excess of £500 million in total every year in claims.

Uninsured drivers are 10 times more likely to have a drink driving conviction, six times more likely to be driving an unsafe vehicle and four times more likely to have a without due care and attention  conviction.

160 deaths on our roads each year are as a result of uninsured driving.

To support the Police and to reassure the public that checks are in place to prevent accidental seizures MIB launched a dedicated Police Helpline to assist the Police  with difficult roadside situations where there may be doubt over the validity of insurance cover for a suspected vehicle.

The MIB Police Helpline has been designed to make the process of identifying uninsured drivers quick and accurate. A phone call to the Police Helpline can save protracted negotiations at the roadside and/or the embarrassment of seizing a vehicle unnecessarily.

MIB is committed to helping the Police to stamp out uninsured driving and the Police helpline is designed to ensure all checks are made before a vehicle is seized.

Ack AIRSO.

Penalty Points

Insurance companies appear to be treating as 'standard' policy holders who have up to six points on their licence.  Reports are suggesting a 12% rise in the number of drivers who are looking for insurance with points on their licence.

Ack AIRSO.

(Association of Industrial Road Safety Officers)

Traffic Offences

According to figures published by Leaseplan traffic offences amongst company drivers continue to rise.  In the four months of 2006 violations rose by 85% compared with the beginning of the year. The offences included jumping red lights and yellow box violations.  The trend seems to have continued in the first quarter of 2007 with the monthly average for traffic offences raising by around 28% compared with 2006.

The increase is being attributed to the increased traffic cameras being used to monitor yellow box junctions.

Eco-Driving (Tips from the IAM)

With global warming now high on everybody's agenda, there has never been a better time to think about Eco-driving, (practised by Hi-Way Drivings' clients for many years)

Regardless of the vehicle you are driving, there are techniques you can use to save fuel and to minimise your impact on the environment.

These techniques have been part of the Advanced Driving process. delivering eco benefits through fuel efficiencies, since the IAM was first established in 1956.

Ask yourself:     "Do I really need to drive?"  It's the shortest journeys - less than two miles - which cause the most pollution and are the most inefficient in terms of fuel consumption. A straining cold engine will produce 60 per cent more pollution than a warm one. Yet it's these shorter journeys that are ideal for walking or cycling.

Plan your route:    A bit of forethought can save much wear and tear - for the car, and the driver. Try to take the most direct route and go off-peak if possible. Sitting in congestion means you are often doing zero miles per gallon.

Have your vehicle serviced regularly.    This helps maintain efficient running and good economy. Inefficient, under-serviced engines can reduce fuel economy by 10 per cent or more. Catalytic converters are environmentally friendly - but only if they are properly maintained.

Check your tyres.    Correct tyre pressures will keep wear and tear down and fuel economy up. Under-inflated tyres need replacing more often (itself an environmental problem) as well as being dangerous. Make a point of checking them every week.

Obey the speed limits.   Try to 'feather' the throttle as you reach your cruising speed. Doing 56mph uses around 25 per cent less fuel than 70mph and a smoother driving style can bring significant fuel saving. Never coast to save fuel; vehicle control must not be compromised.

Reduce the drag factor by removing roof racks when not in use.    Driving with the window open also increases drag and lowers fuel economy. Remove unnecessary boot luggage, avoid heavy accessories and wide tyres that add rolling resistance. Air conditioning lowers fuel economy so use the vent settings as much as possible instead.

Buy green fuel - and use less of it.    If you get stuck in traffic, switch off the engine. Find out if you can buy low sulphur diesel (City diesel) or cleaner petrol locally.

Use accelerator sense.    Do you go straight from the accelerator to the brake? You could save fuel if you planned ahead, and rather than have to brake when you hit traffic, gently let the speed of the vehicle bring you to a halt as you join the queue. There is no point in rushing and then having to break to come to a sudden halt.

Reverse when you park.    When you start off again, the engine will be cold and at it's most inefficient. If you can drive smoothly away without having to reverse when the engine is cold, not only will you save fuel you will also have better visibility.

Be a tank miser.    Why fill up to the very brim? If you do so, you may be carrying around additional weight which will itself reduce fuel efficiency.

acc Advanced Driving the IAM Mag.

Advice for emloyers

Twenty road deaths each week involve people AT WORK.

As an employer, manager or supervisor you have a legal responsibility to ensure the health and safety while they are at work. Health and safety law applies to on-the-road work activities as it does to all work activities,

Benefits of managing work related road safety.

The true costs of crashes to organisations are nearly always higher than just the costs of repairs and insurance claims The benefits to you, your employees and the company from managing work related road safety can be considerable whatever the size of your business. Some of these benefits are listed below:

• Fewer days lost due to injury.
• Reduced risk of work related ill health.
• Reduced stress and improved morale.
• Less need for investigation and paperwork.
• Reduced lost time due to rescheduling.
• Fewer vehicles off the road due to repair.
• Reduced running costs through better driving standards.
• Fewer missed orders and business opportunities.
• Less chance of key employees being banned from driving, e.g. as a result of points on their licence.
• The possibility of cheaper vehicle insurance.

Contact us at Hi-Way Driving Ltd and we could help you to a safer future.

Vince Clark

01928  574368

Dying to take that call?

Sorry about the lack of NEWS on the site. Illness and other things happening have kept me away from the office. I make no such apologies for going on about driving and phones.

Mobile phones and driving don't mix!!!!!!!!!!

Mobile phones have many benefits. They provide security and can be a great help in an emergency. but tests have shown a driver cannot help being distracted by a phone call or text message. Just watch the car in front weaving from side to side. One moment touching the centre line, the next nearly hitting the kerb. He / she is probable on the phone.

Points on your licence

It is illegal to use a hand held mobile phone when driving and the penalties are now a £60 fine and three penalty points on your licence.

Why have the penalties gone up?

Surveys show that over 90% of respondents say it should be illegal to use a hand held phone while driving. But surveys also show that more than 25% admit to doing it

It is hard to do two things at once and research has shown that if you are using a mobile phone while driving you are FOUR times more likely to have a crash.

In fact if you use any type of phone (hands free or hand held) while driving, your reaction times are worse than if you are driving under the influence of alcohol.                                  Reaction times for drivers using a hand held phone are 30% worse than for driving while drunk. They were nearly 50% worse than when driving under normal conditions.

This is all reflected in the growing number of news stories about serious accidents caused by drivers who are not able to concentrate on the road, because they were using a mobile phone.

How does the law apply?                                                                                                                                                           While driving, you will be braking the law if you pick up or use any type of phone that is, or must be, held to operate it. For example, this means you may not use your mobile phone:-

When stopped at traffic lights;

when you are queueing in traffic;

To receive calls, pictures, text messages or to access the Internet.

IF YOU ARE AN EMPLOYER, YOU CAN BE PROSECUTED IF YOU REQUIRE YOUR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE OR RECEIVE CALLS WHILE DRIVING. 

(If your engine is running and you use the phone it will cost you three penalty points)

We are all responsible for safety on the roads. If you make a call to someone and realise they are driving, stop the call and speak to them later. You cannot see the hazards or judge the road conditions while you are talking to the driver.

SWITCH OFF BEFORE YOU DRIVE OFF

155 Merseyside Speeders Caught

Cameras are catching 155 speeding drivers on Merseyside every day.

New figures revealed 42,000 notices of intended prosecutions were issued to motorists over a nine- month period this year.

They show 460 people were killed or seriously injured on the regions roads during the same period.

Merseyside camera managers estimate that just under half of the notices, 18,900, led to £60 penalty fines being paid by motorists.

It meant approximately £1.13m was generated by the fixed, red light and mobile cameras installed by Merseyside Road Safety Camera Partnership, over the nine months. That equates to £4,200 every day.

In July, money was received to fund mobile cameras at 22 sites at accident black spots in the region.

Road deaths have dropped by a quarter as the Government demands a 40% reduction by 2010.

Plans for extra mobile camera sites are on hold as the partnership cannot claim back any more money from the Government until March next year.

Motoring Deaths Increase

Poor driving has been blamed for Cheshire seeing its highest number of people killed on the roads since 1998.

Recently released figures for 2005 reveal that the county saw a 20% increase in the fatal and serious injuries on its highways compared to the previous year.

In 2005, motorcyclist casualties increased by13% and pedestrians and child casualties were  both up by 12%.

Cheshire's casualty report records that 65 people were killed and 542 were seriously injured in road traffic collisions in 2005 on all roads in Cheshire.

Chief Road Safety Engineer Richard Nickson said: "It must never be forgotten that road users are exceptionally vulnerable to the effects of excessive or inappropriate speed, distraction, impairment through drink or drugs or simply poor driving - which is by far the largest problem on our roads.

(As we know, over 90% of accidents are caused by driver error. Ed)

Mobile Madness

Although recent reports suggest that most motorists resent others who use hand held phones whilst driving, resorting to gestures and abuse to make their feelings known, the message just isn't getting through. The latest research shows that over 25% of drivers freely admit they break the law on a regular basis whilst at the wheel.

The Road Safety Act will bring about a rise in the fine for hand held mobile phones from £30.00 to £60 together with the introduction of three penalty points. At a recent road safety presentation the Minister indicated that he expected this change to come about towards the end of February 2007.

Ack AIRSO Communication