AA - over 166,000 people used the AA website to get a car insurance quote on Xmas Day last year

Thousands of bored Brits will be shopping for car, home and travel insurance on Christmas day if statistics from AA Insurance are anything to go by.

According to the broker's online statistics, last Christmas nearly 200,000 people obtained quotes for insurance on Christmas Day with nearly 300,000 getting their quotes on Boxing Day.

According to the AA on Christmas Day alone, over 166,000 car and 32,000 home insurance quotes were provided while 141 people sought travel insurance.

Those figures rose to 242,000 car insurance quotes and 46,000 home insurance quotes being provided on Boxing Day.

Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance says:

"My Christmas is pretty busy and I wouldn't have the time or the inclination to sort out insurance. But I can understand arranging travel cover if a holiday was given as a gift, although it seems odd that people might want to fix their car or home cover on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

"But then, may be thousands of people looked out of the bedroom window on Christmas morning to find a brand new car with a giant ribbon tied round it!"

As to home insurance, Simon Douglas speculates that a near miss in the kitchen or an accident with a candle led some families to realise that their home insurance might not be adequate.

"It's also possible that receiving a costly gift might lead some people to suddenly realise they aren't insured, along with the rest of their possessions, and decide to do something about it. Or all these online applications might simply mean that people are trying out their new tablet!"

In addition, 94 people applied for home emergency cover on Christmas day while a few downloaded legal documents – including a comprehensive guide to writing a will and guidance on sorting out a building dispute.

AA quotes issued at Christmas 2012:

Car Insurance:
- Christmas Day - 166,415 quotes
- Boxing Day - 241,747 quotes

House Insurance:
- Christmas Day - 31,854 quotes
- Boxing Day - 46,455 quotes

Travel Insurance:
- Christmas Day - 151 quotes
- Boxing Day - 323 quotes

http://www.motorworldarc.co.uk/news.asp

'Crash for cash' - 17 charged in connection with alleged bus smashes

The Liverpool Echo has reported that Cheshire police have charged 17 people in connection with alleged 'crash for cash' bus smashes.

They report says that four Merseysiders were among those charged in connection with the conspiracy to commit fraud - this follows a 20-month investigation.

The charges all relate to alleged staged bus crashes in and around Chester between 2010 and 2012.

The force said the crashes involved 215 people claiming for whiplash on seven different bus collisions.

Among those charged in connection with the investigation were:

Mark Taylor, 47 of Vyner Park, Prenton
Christopher Bethell, 28, of Crosthwaite Avenue, Eastham
and Sean Kettyle, 42, of Westminster Road, Ellesmere Port.

All three were bailed to appear before Manchester Magistrates' Court on December 19.

Rachel Cooper, 31, of Oxton Green, Great Sutton, Ellesmere Port, was bailed to appear the following day, December 20.

http://www.motorworldarc.co.uk/news.asp

Competition Commission warned ruling against "best offer" clauses would "rewind" motor insurance by 10 years

Price comparison website Compare the Market hopes the Competition Commission's will leave "most favoured nation" clauses untouched in review of private motor insurance.

Ahead of the Competition Commission (CC) publishes their provisional findings, which has been delayed again as reported by News from ABP on Friday, Paul Galligan, the managing director of Compare the Market, has warned the market would "rewind" by up to 10 years if the CC rules against controversial "best offer" clauses that are insisted upon by price comparison websites (PCWs).

The Sunday Telegraph outlined the scope of the investigation, which has extended to also look at motor insurance PCWs after requests from insurers who are angry about "most favoured nation" (MFN) clauses. The MFN clauses stipulate that insurers have to offer their "best prices" in order to for their premium quotes to appear on PCWs.

However, Mr Galligan, whose firm has attracted particular anger for insisting on "wide" MFN clauses, defended the practice.

He said they are essential to the effective operation of price comparison sites and vowed that Comparethemarket.com would fight for their continued use.

"We know these clauses have made us unpopular in the marketplace with insurers," he said. "But, if you're going to appear on Comparethemarket, we expect your very best price. As a price comparison site, I can't possibly imagine a time when we could compare anything but.

"If you look at some of the language and hype that surrounds these clauses, the legalistic jargon and the arguments between insurers and the Competition Commission, there's a real risk that the needs of the consumer get lost.

"Without these clauses, the market would rewind eight, nine or 10 years and lose a lot of the transparency we've brought to bear. It would be a massive step backwards."

"Narrow" MFN clauses mean that insurers whose premiums are quoted on PCWs can only offer the same or higher rates on their own websites.

However, Comparethemarket is unusual in insisting on a "wide" MFN clause, forbidding insurers from offering a cheaper price anywhere in the market.

"We're not the focus of this investigation but I think we have the most proactive stance and that's something we're going to maintain," said Mr Galligan.

"We're confident the commission will see through a lot of the bluster and hype and realise that if these clauses are done away with, there's only one winner – the large insurers. And only one loser – UK consumers."

PCWs are now estimated to be used by more than half of UK consumers seeking new insurance quotes.

http://www.motorworldarc.co.uk/news.asp

Traffic volumes - up 2.3% in Q3 2013 to highest quarterly level for four years; huge growth in recent years in van traffic

The overall level of traffic in Great Britain in Q3 (July to September) was 2.3% higher than Q3 2012.

However, Q3 2012 saw extremely high levels of rainfall, with the summer of 2012 being the second wettest since records began. This poor weather in 2012 may have put people off making trips, and the relatively drier weather in 2013 is likely to have contributed to the growth in road traffic, compared to last year.

Since 2008, the trend in overall traffic volumes has been fairly flat, although Q3 2013 is the highest quarterly traffic estimate since Q3 2009.

Q3 2013 compared to Q3 2012:

- overall traffic showed a 2.3% rise in volume
- LCV (vans) traffic grew by 5.1%
- HGV traffic grew by 2.7%
- Car traffic fell by 1.9%

Q3 2013 compared to Q3 2003 eg 10 years ago:

- overall traffic showed a 1.2% rise in volume
- LCV (vans) traffic grew by 19.2%
- HGV traffic fell by 9.9%
- Car traffic fell by 0.1%

Q3 2013 compared to Q3 1993 eg 20 years ago:

- overall traffic showed a 20.3% rise in volume
- LCV (vans) traffic grew by 66.7%
- HGV traffic grew by 5.4%
- Car traffic grew by 15.8%

http://www.motorworldarc.co.uk/news.asp

IFB (Insurance Fraud Bureau) - proposes 3 point plan for tackling rogue claims management companies

Speaking at a Westminster Legal Policy Forum event exploring the future of claims management regulation today, Director of the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB), Ben Fletcher, outlined a three point plan for tackling rogue Claims Management Companies (CMCs) involved in organised insurance fraud.

Claims Management Companies have long been common enablers of "crash-for-cash" fraud investigated by the IFB, with 53% of live police Operations assisted by the Bureau focusing on a suspected rogue Claims Management Company.

Whilst Fletcher recognises there is no "silver bullet" that will eradicate the problem, continued collaboration between the insurance industry, police and regulators, is deemed essential.

Fletcher outlined 3 measures to complement and enhance that work:

1 - Greater onus on front end checks for Claims Management Companies to prevent unscrupulous businesses being authorised to trade in the first place;

2 - Claims Management Companies themselves proactively sharing intelligence with the IFB about suspected fraudulent behaviour;

3 - Make disclosure of the referral source within the claim notification form a mandatory requirement.

Ben Fletcher, Director of the IFB – a not-for-profit agency tasked with investigating and disrupting organised motor insurance fraud – said:

"Whilst many Claims Management Companies are genuine, we know from years of operational experience that some are set up by criminal gangs solely to mask organised insurance fraud.
The 3 measures we are proposing will help us identify them, prevent them from posing a severe financial risk to our industry, investigate them and bring fraudsters to justice."

Case study: Claims Management Company boss jailed for 7 years

In August 2012, CMC boss Masi Naqshbandi was found guilty of staging hundreds of road traffic accidents in order to make insurance claims, which would have been worth over £6.5 million. Naqshbandi was sentenced to seven years in prison. (See ABP News of 7 August 2012)

Between 2007 and 2008, Naqshbandi and his accomplice, Sabaoon Hillaman, submitted over 250 fraudulent insurance claims through their London-based claims management company – Real Accident Helpline.

In some cases, vehicles were deliberately crashed or damaged to mimic a road traffic accident.
In other cases, accidents were entirely made-up by presenting false names and paperwork.
In all cases, credit hire, personal injury and inflated damage costs meant each claim was
worth tens of thousands of pounds.

http://www.motorworldarc.co.uk/news.asp

BBC - high level of used car complaints prompts government action

The government is expected to announce the creation of a commission to look at the reasons behind high levels of complaints surrounding used car sales.

Second-hand car sales by independent traders consistently top the list of gripes according to the Citizens Advice consumer helpline.

Consumer and industry groups are being invited to discuss the trend and report back by the spring next year.

Trade bodies say complaints are dealt with quickly by reputable dealers.

Used car buyers are being given purchasing tips and reminded of their rights as part of National Consumer Week, which starts on Monday.

The campaign is aimed at preventing the kind of situation that 22-year-old graduate Natasha Akintunde found herself in.

She bought a used Nissan Micra, with low mileage, for more than £1,000, only for the clutch to fail within weeks.
She said she found out later that the car had been an insurance write-off.
She was given a replacement, but said the brakes failed when her mother was driving it home from the seller.

"It has put me off driving for a while, because of the worry of what happened. I just want my money back, I don't really want to buy another used car," she said.

Buyers are being encouraged to go through a checklist before they buy a second-hand car. Tips include:

- Checking documents such as the MOT certificate, service history and V5 registration document
- Checking the mileage and other history details, using a free online database
- Getting a mechanic to check the technical aspects of the car

Consumer minister Jo Swinson said it was vital, with seven million used cars sold every year , that consumers were "better equipped to make good decisions" when buying cars.

"Rogue dealers are going to find there is action taken against them. They need to shape up, because they are not going to get away with it," she said.

Stuart James, director of the RMI, agreed there were unscrupulous operators in any business, but said many car sellers were reputable and would deal quickly with genuine complaints.

He said many of the calls to Citizens Advice were from people seeking information about their rights, rather than actual complaints about traders.

There are many approved schemes that have independent arbitration if things go wrong.

The RMI has set up the Trust My Garage scheme that ensures members that carry the badge adhere to a code of practice.

There are certain rights that people can fall back on if they discover a problem soon after driving off the forecourt.

Any purchase must be as described by the seller, of satisfactory quality given its age and the price paid, and be roadworthy.

Andy Foster, director of operations and policy at the Trading Standards Institute, said this meant traders should generally offer a repair if something goes wrong within a few weeks, assuming the problem was not pointed out at the time the car was sold.
A replacement or even a refund could be available.

If the problem occurred after a number of months, then the buyer might have to prove that the fault existed at the time of sale in order to get a repair.

However, buyers have fewer rights if they buy the car from a private individual, such as through an internet auction site.

http://www.motorworldarc.co.uk/news.asp

Thatcham Research - Crash prevention will be the ultimate key to 5-star cars

Coveted 5-star safety ratings may soon be awarded only to those cars that can avoid or reduce the impact of a crash, as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) marks the way forward for future road safety, according to Thatcham Research.

Euro NCAP today releases data on AEB crash tests, collected from approved test centres around Europe. Half of the tests* were carried out by Thatcham, the British motor insurers' automotive research facility.

Thatcham has been researching and testing Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) systems on behalf of insurers for the last 3 years and has carried out hundreds of tests on a wide range of new vehicles.

Peter Shaw, chief executive of Thatcham Research said: "The vast majority of major vehicle manufacturers are already providing AEB technologies on their vehicles and such is their effectiveness, we are delighted that international safety body Euro NCAP will incorporate the Thatcham led test as part of their overall vehicle safety standard in 2014. We expect that, by 2016, cars will find it increasingly difficult to achieve a 5-star rating unless they have this powerful safety measure. UK insurers are already offering favourable insurance groupings on vehicles fitted with AEB as standard – a clear sign of its effectiveness."

"The evidence from our testing is undeniable, and combined with a growing body of real world research and evidence we firmly believe that AEB and other ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist Systems) have a critical role to play in avoiding both common low-speed bumps that can cause injuries such as whiplash, and mitigating injuries and fatalities from medium-speed crashes," said Shaw.

*Thatcham carried out AEB testing on the following vehicles:
Ford Focus (Active City Stop)
Volvo XC60 (City Safety)
Volvo V40 (City Safety + Collision Warning with Full Autobrake)
Mercedes E-Class (Pre-Safe Brake)

http://www.motorworldarc.co.uk/news.asp

Ministry of Justice (MoJ) - announces further measures to clamp down on 'whiplash fraudsters'

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling is today announcing measures to help motorists to cut the cost of running a car including:

- a crackdown on whiplash fraud
- a freeze on MOT test prices
- a scheme designed to reduce the cost of fuel at motorway service stations,

Average motor insurance premiums have already fallen by more than 12% over the past year, equivalent to an £80 reduction on an average policy, thanks to Ministry of Justice reforms to no-win, no-fee deals and action on rogue claims firms - according to new statistics from the AA.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said:

"We are turning the tide on the compensation culture and helping hardworking people by tackling high insurance premiums and other motoring costs.

"It's not right that people who cheat the insurance system get away with it while forcing up the price for everyone else - so we are now going after whiplash fraudsters and will keep on driving premiums down."

He has announced today that:

. Whiplash cheats, whose bogus compensation claims have helped to force up average motor insurance premiums, will be targeted by new independent medical panels which will ensure only evidence from accredited professionals can be considered.
This will mean people can no longer profit from exaggerated or fraudulent compensation claims but victims with genuine cases can still get the help they deserve.
These will be introduced from next year.

. The statutory maximum price of the MOT test for a car will be frozen at £54.85 until 2015 - potentially saving up to £50m for drivers every year.

. Action will be taken on high motorway fuel prices. New comparison road signs will be trialled which will show prices at different service stations along a route, making it easier for drivers to get the cheapest deal and encouraging competition on prices.

. The fees charged for the driving test will be reviewed, including the current £31 for the theory test, £62 for the practical test and £50 fee for the provisional licence, to identify any opportunity to save money for the 1.5m car drivers who take their test every year.

Roads Minister Robert Goodwill said:

"The costs of owning and running a car are felt by millions of households and businesses across the nation. The Government is determined to help keep those costs down. That is why we are freezing the price for an MOT test and looking again at the costs associated with getting a driving licence.

"We also want to make it easier for people to get a better deal on fuel at motorway service stations, for instance through a trial of motorway signs that will show motorists the different fuel prices on offer on their route."

New statistics from the AA show that motor insurance premiums are now falling at the fastest rate since 1994 - a fall of 12.3% in the year to October for an average comprehensive insurance policy, from £648 in October 2012 to £568 in October 2013.

New figures from the MoJ's Claims Management Regulation unit also show that the number of claims firms in the market has plummeted by more than 1,000 following the law changes, from a peak of 2,553 in December 2011 to 1,485 last month. The firms are responsible for bombarding the public with adverts for profitable compensation claims.

Despite these successes whiplash claims remain an issue which Government will continue to fight. The number of claims has fallen since 2011 but there were still almost half a million whiplash claims in 2012.
Insurers say these claims cost them more than £2bn in payouts and lead to an average premium increase of £90 for drivers.
Each whiplash compensation payout costs an average of £2,400 insurers say, with an additional £2,000 in legal costs.

The Government will now work quickly with experts to implement the independent medical panels.
This will include developing a scheme for accrediting medical experts who can assess whiplash injuries, enhancing the medical reporting process, improving information for medical assessments and carrying out spot checks to ensure quality.

Plans for improved data sharing by insurers will also help police, including the specialist Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department, to track down criminal fraudsters.

Prime Minister David Cameron pledged action to tackle high insurance premiums following a summit with the insurance industry in February 2012, where insurers committed to pass on savings to their customers.

Since then the Ministry of Justice has:

. Transformed no win, no fee deals so lawyers can no longer double their fees if they win, at the expense of defendants and their insurers.

. Banned "referral fees" paid between lawyers, insurers, claims firms, garages and others for profitable claims - which have driven the growth of compensation culture.

. Reduced by more than half the fees lawyers can charge insurers for processing basic, uncontested claims for compensation for minor injuries suffered in road accidents - from £1,200 to £500.

. Banned claims firms from offering cash incentives or gifts to people who bring them claims. Recommend a friend deals also banned, along with contracts agreed only over the phone.

http://www.motorworldarc.co.uk/news.asp

Uninsured driving - police make £218,000 profit from selling-off uninsured Lamborghini Aventado

Police made a tidy £218,000 profit today after a seized Lamborghini Aventador was auctioned off when the owner failed to come forward to claim it. 

ABP carried the news on 3 October that the car had been seized after being stopped in Newham, East London aspart of Operation Cubo, an on-going Police action to crack down on uninsured vehicles.

The Lamborghini was stopped because its front number plate was missing, causing police to carry out further checks when they discovered that the driver had no insurance.

When the owner failed to provide the correct paperwork, the car was put up for sale at Manheim's in Colchester.

http://www.motorworldarc.co.uk/news.asp

27 arrested in 'ghost broking' fake car insurance scams

Twenty-seven people have been arrested in dawn raids across the country by detectives investigating the sale of fake car insurance policies, a practice commonly known as 'ghost broking'.

Twenty-eight warrants were executed in the Leicestershire, London, Manchester, Thames Valley, West Midlands areas early this morning (Wednesday 9 October 2013), in a police day of action that marks the culmination of months of investigation by the City of London Police's Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED).

One hundred and sixty-eight officers took part in the operation, with the City of London Police unit supported by colleagues from the force's Economic Crime Directorate as well as officers from Greater Manchester, Leicestershire, Metropolitan, Thames Valley and West Midlands police forces.

Ghost brokers often target young drivers by offering cheap deals but anyone who buys one of their policies will find themselves driving without insurance, which could lead to their car being seized by police, fines, penalties and a criminal record. Uninsured drivers will also have to pick up the bill for any damage or injuries they cause in a crash.

IFED has already brought to justice ghost brokers who have tried to sell or sold cheap fake car insurance policies online, using phony websites as well as genuine classifieds and social media websites. The unit has had reports of ghost brokers operating in communities, approaching people in restaurants and internet cafes as well as on university campuses.

DCI Dave Wood, Head of IFED, said: "This day of action reveals ghost broking to be a UK-wide problem which is being met by a national law enforcement response, led by IFED.

"The consequences for innocent motorists who fall victims to ghost brokers can be dire, so it is absolutely vital that drivers shopping for car insurance online, or through other means, question what they are being offered to ensure they get a real deal.

"Driver diligence, coupled with enforcement action being taken by IFED and supported by local forces, is the best way to confront this threat now and in the future."

Advice for drivers on how to secure the cheapest legitimate policy possible is available on the
Association of British Insurers' website.

Anyone who believes they have fallen victim to insurance fraud should contact Action Fraud.

Information on suspected ghost brokers can be reported confidentially through the Insurance Fraud Bureau's Cheatline, powered by Crimestoppers, on 0800 422 0421.

Arrest breakdown across the police force areas as follows:

.  Greater Manchester Police = 3
.  Leicestershire Police = 1
.  Metropolitan Police = 9
.  Thames Valley Police = 3
.  West Midlands Police = 11

The precise offence the 25 people were arrested on suspicion of is fraud by false representation. One person was arrested on suspicion of burglary and another was arrested on suspicion of immigration offences.

http://www.motorworldarc.co.uk/news.asp

Crash-for-cash - 86 people charged by Gwent Police in alleged scam involving garage known as St David's Crash Repair and as Easifix

A total of 86 people have been charged in relation to an alleged insurance scam in Caerphilly county.

Charges include fraud against insurance firms, conspiracy to steal vehicles and money laundering, said Gwent Police.

Those charged, from Caerphilly county and Cardiff, are due to appear before Cwmbran magistrates on 10 October.

Gwent Police said it followed a two-year investigation into a "crash for cash" scheme - where accidents are staged to defraud insurance companies.

The force said the inquiry, called Operation Dino,(see ABP News of 29 Oct 2012 and 13 Mch 2012) is into allegations relating to a garage known as both St David's Crash Repair and Easifix, which was based in Pengam, Blackwood.

Det Sgt Andy Cullen, who has been part of the investigative team, said:

"A team of officers and detectives have been investigating this sophisticated 'crash for cash scheme' alongside the Insurance Fraud Bureau for more than two years, and this has led to the arrest and charge of these 86 individuals.

"If you suspect anyone of committing insurance fraud, you can contact the police on 101 or report them directly to the free and confidential IFB Cheatline on 0800 422 0421, or online at www.insurancefraudbureau.org/report."

Gwent Police said the Operation Dino team was established in 2011 using officers from several different departments of the force to specifically investigate suspected "crash for cash" insurance frauds.

http://www.motorworldarc.co.uk/news.asp

Over 2 million motorists carry out of date licence

There are over two million motorists in the UK who are currently driving with an out of date driving licence.  Most drivers believe that their new style licence is for life but the licence actually expires after a set period and has to be renewed, in fact photocard licences must be renewed every ten years.

It is a good idea to dig your licence out and do a quick check and avoid a £ 1000 fine. There are a few dates printed on the photocard, but the one you are looking for it the photo expiry date printed on section 4b on the front of the card.  If you find it is out of date then you need to renew it, the process is the same as if you were replacing a lost or stolen licence, you can either apply online, providing you've a had a new digital passport issued in the last five years (it'll use the same photo as on your passport), by post or in person at selected post offices (this does incur an extra cost of £ 4.50 on top of the £ 20 fee).

Check name and address

When checking that date on your licence also check that you have the correct address on it. It is free to change your address and you still risk the £ 1000 fine if it has not been updated. It has been reported that over 2.6 million motorists have not updated their driving licence with their current address and 3% of married women had an out-of-date name on their licence, which can also incur a £ 1,000 fine.

The first batch of ten year photo licences was issued in July 1998 so if you received your licence that year your licence will most certainly be out of date.

The DVLA state that drivers are allowed to continue driving if they have failed to renew before the expiry date but they ‘could’ be charged with ‘failing to surrender their licence’ which is an offence carrying the  £ 1000 fine.  The Association of British Insurers and the Department of Transport said that insurance cover was not affected if drivers failed to update their photocard. It's also worth noting the DVLA advises any driver travelling abroad to carry a photocard licence, rather than the older all-paper version, whilst this isn't obligatory, it may make your journey easier where required.

- See more at: http://www.motoring.co.uk/car-news/over-2-million-motorists-carry-out-of-date-licence_57847#sthash.sd595zDh.dpuf

HPI - warn that they check 625 cars a day which are revealed to be an insurance write-off

HPI urges used car buyers to protect themselves against the threat of purchasing a potential death trap masquerading as a bargain.

One in 33 vehicles checked by HPI, in 2012, was an insurance total loss - otherwise known as a write-off.

This equates to 625 cars a day or over 223,000 cars per year being dangerously repaired and sold on to unsuspecting consumers.

Don't take the risk, warns HPI, get a vehicle history check, such as the HPI Check to confirm if a vehicle has a hidden past.

All vehicles that are written off are put in to one of four categories, depending on the level of its condition.
The categories include cars that can be repaired and returned to the road, or ones that are recommended to be totally scrapped and never allowed back on the road again.

It is not illegal to repair or return 'written off for salvage' vehicles back to the road as long as the seller declares the facts and provides evidence that the car has passed a Vehicle Identity Check (VIC).

However, says HPI, a lack of good quality second hand cars for sale, means unscrupulous sellers are using a variety of ways of conning used car buyers out of their money.

Daniel Burgess, Managing Director for HPI explains,

"Criminals continue to capitalise on a shortage of used cars for sale by disguising write-offs as a good buy.
It's all too easy to be taken in by shiny paintwork and a low price, but it could be hiding a multitude of faults that haven't been fixed.
Unscrupulous vendors will sell a write-off to make a quick profit but if the vehicle is not properly repaired any price is too high."

An HPI Check will give a used car buyer the complete picture of a vehicle's history, including revealing if the car has been an insurance write-off and if so, which category.
This offers protection from paying good money for a vehicle that is not fit for purpose and a possible safety risk.

Daniel Burgess concludes,
"A check against HPI's registers will tell you if the car has ever been written-off.
However, we recommend that anyone looking to buy a car that has been declared an insurance write-off should seek to have it independently checked by Autolign or Thatcham to ensure that it is in fact road worthy before they part with their cash."

The ABI Categories of 'Write off'

Category A

Scrap only - i.e. with few or no economically salvageable parts and of value only for scrap metal e.g. total burnouts. These vehicles should not appear on the road.

Category B

Break for spare parts if economically viable. These vehicles should not reappear on the road.

Category C

Repairable total loss vehicles where repair costs exceed the vehicle's pre-accident value.

Category D

Repairable total loss vehicles where repair costs do not exceed the vehicle's pre-accident value.

The HPI Check includes a mileage check against the National Mileage Register (NMR) as standard, now with over 160 million mileage readings.
HPI also confirms whether a vehicle is currently recorded as stolen with the police, has outstanding finance against it or has been written-off, making it the best way for consumers to protect themselves from fraudsters looking to make a fast profit.

In addition, the HPI Check offers a £40,000 Guarantee in the event of the information it provides being inaccurate, offering added financial peace of mind to used car buyers.

- All cars written-off, excluding Category D write offs, must pass a Vehicle Identity Check (VIC) with the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA).

- Insurers notify the DVLA of all cars 'written off' within salvage categories A, B, C and D.

- This notification will set a 'VIC marker' against the DVLA vehicle record for Category A, B and C write-off.

- While a VIC marker remains set, DVLA won't issue a registration certificate V5C, or vehicle license reminder V11.

- VOSA carries out the VIC which is designed to confirm the car's identity, not its road worthiness.

- This helps to ensure that the genuine car is returned to the road in a bid to reduce the problem of ringing - when stolen cars are given the identity of a written-off vehicle.

- The VIC marker will only be removed when the car passes a VIC test by VOSA.

Car park scratches cost UK drivers £500 million

Parking spaces that are too small are costing motorists over £500 million a year in repair bills for damaged paintwork.

A new study from Halfords and paint renovation experts G3 Pro has revealed that over 10 million car owners have suffered annoying scuffs or scratches as a result of unwanted contact in car parks over the past year – with two thirds of them having to pay more than £50 to fix bodywork.

Car doors are the most likely area to suffer scrapes as a result, accounting for 50% of reported damage, followed by bumpers (14%) and wings (13%).

Halfords paint protection expert David Howells said: "There is a squeeze on the nation's car parks and the consequences are hitting frustrated motorists in the wallet.

"The majority of drivers we questioned blamed their scratches and repair costs on inconsiderate drivers parking too close to them but our research shows that the size of parking spaces is leaving them little choice."

Despite the size of the average car growing – as manufacturers strive to offer more interior space, crash protection and comfort - Transport Department rules governing car park space sizes have remained the same since 1994.

The width of cars has increased by around 16% over the same period, making the average British car 2 inches wider than the 1.80m (5ft 11in) minimum parking space - that's 40mm smaller than a Ford Focus* and incapable of accommodating a BMW 3 series measuring over 2metres (6ft 7in).

Donna Howard from G3 Pro said: "Even the smallest scratch can be very annoying and reduce the value of a vehicle by hundreds of pounds. But with car park operators looking to maximise visitor volumes and revenue, there is little incentive for them to exceed the recommended minimum size requirements."

The research found that supermarkets were reported as the worst offenders by 38% of drivers, followed by shopping centres (29%) and railway stations (18%).

Donna Howard added: "Until drivers learn to take greater care of how they park, as well as how they open car doors in tight spaces, G3 Pro offers a range of professional quality products that can help banish unsightly scuffs and scratches to leave paintwork looking like new."

Trial underway of team of fraudsters who sold bogus car insurance from a fake call centre

Prosecutor Ann Mulligan said, "It was a fraud factory. There were printers, faxes, telephones, bank cards, chequebooks, mobile phones, shredders.

Bukharee had realised the earlier websites were under investigation and had decided to set up a new campaign."

A total of £40,733 had been paid by 38 customers for car insurance in the three weeks the First Direct website was up and running, the court heard.

Miss Mulligan said: "The case involves a ghost brooking website fraud - a website created for the purposes of fraud.

"It is not in dispute that this was a sophisticated fraud and it was masterminded by Danyal Bukharee.

"He used the four ghost broking websites to carry out car insurance fraud. He was responsible for setting up the websites, each of them purporting to offer genuine motor insurance at around a 15 per cent discount below the average price offered by genuine companies.

"Unsuspecting members of the public were duped into buying this non-existent car insurance and paying money for it.

"What he identified was he could target innocent members of the public, in particular young first time drivers for whom insurance premiums are extremely high, often inhibitively so."

It is claimed Bukharee recruited Giovanni Recchia, 47, to run the First Car Direct fraud from the flat by answering phones and dealing with customer enquiries.

Recchia was with Bukharee when police arrived at the flat and acted as a witness to the tenancy agreement, the court heard.

Detectives found a whiteboard featuring the names of nine invented employees next to their roles in claims, admin and compliance, it is claimed.

One victim remembered being put through to David Wood in sales and offered a quote of £2,018 for insurance, jurors were told.

Miss Mulligan said: "You may think Bukharee has a sense of humor. Detective Chief Inspector David Wood is in fact head of the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department."

Police also found an iPod connected to sound system with only one track uploaded titled 'Office Noise.'

Jurors heard Recchia is likely to claim he was an innocent dupe and was led to believe this was a genuine business.

"Recchia cannot have failed to be aware that something was amiss," said Miss Mulligan.
"Using a name that wasn't his has to have alerted him to the fact this was a fraudulent enterprise."

Andrew Goward, 38, Gary Heaven, 37, and Mohamed Saleh, 26, were recruited to open bank accounts to receive the money paid in by the victims, it is claimed.

"Once these were opened Bukharee would take over control of the accounts to enable him to access the money," said Miss Mulligan.

"These three men may not have known it was a car insurance fraud specifically but what the Crown say is that at the time they opened bank accounts they did so in circumstances such that it can safely have been inferred they must have known or at the very least suspected they were doing it for criminal purposes."

Goward is said to have received proceeds from the Astuto Insurance and Car Insurance Warehouse between May and August 2011.

Heaven and Saleh are said to have received the proceeds from the Aston Midshires Insurance fraud between August 2011 and January 2012.

Buckharee, from Putney, south London, has admitted two counts of fraud by false representation and three counts of money laundering.

Recchia, from Retford, Nottinghamshire, denies one count of fraud by false representation.

Heaven, from Tulse Hill, south London, Goward, from Nottingham, and Saleh, from Greenford, north west London, all deny money laundering.

Gocompare - cost (followed by quality of cover) are biggest reasons for drivers choosing a car insurer

Cost is the key driver for 75% of Brits when choosing a car insurance policy, while just over half are influenced by the quality of cover being offered.

The research into factors influencing motorists' choice of car insurance policies, commissioned by Gocompare.com, revealed that in addition to the price of the policy, drivers were concerned about the level of cover on offer and the insurer's reputation, particularly in the relation to paying out for claims.

Reason for choosing car insurance provider:

1 - 75% said cost

2 - 51% said quality of cover

3 - 33% said insurer's reputation

4 - 32% said "I trust the insurer to pay out if I need to claim"

5 - 28% said the ability to pay in monthly installments

6 - 21% said "if I get a good deal (e.g. 11 months cover for the price of 12, second vehicle discount, free gift)"

7 - 12% said recommended by friends and family

8 - 5% said specialist provider (older/younger/ women drivers, sports/classic cars)

9 - 4% said recommended by an insurance broker

10 - 2% said "I like their advertising!"

Scott Kelly, head of car insurance at Gocompare.com, commented:

"For many drivers insurance represents a significant part of the cost of running a car, so it is no surprise that cost is an important consideration in choosing an insurance policy.
"
However, we would suggest drivers not pick a policy based on price alone, but to also think about the level of cover they need.

A number of insurers include additional features, such as a courtesy car, breakdown cover or legal assistance as standard, but some insurers offer these as optional extras.
So before signing up to a policy you need to think about the level of cover you need and whether you could buy it cheaper elsewhere. For example, breakdown cover is frequently offered as an additional extra with car insurance, but may be cheaper bought as a separate, standalone policy.

"Our research found that for some people special offers or the ability to spread the cost of their insurance by paying in installments are important factors when buying insurance. But motorists should consider the full cost of what they are being offered, bearing in mind that many insurers charge a fee for paying monthly."

Which? - The surprising factors that are driving up car insurance premiums

New Which? research reveals that parking your car in a garage, having children and being divorced or unemployed can all increase the cost of car insurance.

We found:

.  Direct Line quoted up to 22% more if you're unemployed, compared to our default occupation of researcher.

.  LV was the most price-sensitive to occupation quoting brewery workers and private investigators up to 23% more, and a bar manager almost 28% more.

.  Oddly, More Than quoted 7% more if you keep your car in a garage than if you park the vehicle on your driveway – none of the other insurers did this.

.  Direct Line added an extra 7% (low risk) and 8% (high risk) if you don't own your home, and LV an extra 4% and 5%.

.  Direct Line also added an extra 8% and 9% if you have children, but More Than didn't change the quote at all in these situations and Aviva and The Co-operative didn't even ask.

.  LV quoted 1% and 3% more if you are single, divorced or separated, rather than married or widowed.
It's unsurprising that driving convictions can really make the cost of car insurance stack up, however, we found the premium hikes can vary widely between different insurers:

.  More Than charged up to 55% more for motorists who received a conviction for 'driving without due care and attention', but Aviva only increased quotations by up to 7%.

.  Premium hikes for 'exceeding the motorway speed limit' also ranged greatly, from 2% for the low-risk scenario with Aviva, to 19% for the high risk scenario with More Than.

Which? executive director, Richard Lloyd, said:

"The cost of your car insurance can vary dramatically across the market, with some surprising factors affecting the price, so it really does pay to shop around and not automatically accept the first renewal offer from your existing insurer."

To see what made rates go up and down, we got online quotes for five of the largest insurance companies – Aviva, The Co-operative Insurance, Direct Line, LV and More Than. We created a high and low risk scenario by changing the make and model of the car, the drivers age, and their location, and then tweaking other variables to see how the rates change.

The low-risk scenario is a 2012 Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec driven by someone in their mid-40s living in rural Cambridgeshire, and the high-risk scenario is a 2013 BMW 120d Sports Coupé driven by a mid-30s motorist living in Tooting, London

VBRA - Code of Practice passes Trading Standards audit

The Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association (VBRA) recently had the operation of its code approval and conciliation processes scrutinised by the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) under the TSI Consumer Code Approval Scheme (CCAS).

VBRA's is the first code to be formally audited in this way since TSI took over the mantle of code approval from the OFT earlier in 2013.

After a thorough review of VBRA's processes, and interviews with the operating staff, TSI's report on VBRA's dealings with customer complaints says;

"VBRA's conciliation process is excellent [demonstrating] that they will provide additional support to consumers... [they] seek out and pay for independent experts to examine vehicles in order to resolve disputes.

"The very low number of disputes that reach arbitration (none in the last two years) is a reflection of the quality of the in-house conciliation service.

"VBRA are fulfilling their obligations as a code sponsor and ensure their members comply with the CCAS core criteria and their own code.
The in-house conciliation process is excellent and an example of best practice."

Commenting, Malcolm Tagg, VBRA Director General said

"The audit process was painless and endorses that what we have always done, regardless of external Code Approval, is good for customers and adds an extra comfort factor to inform motorists decision to use a VBRA member for their repair.

"We are fortunate our members are very good at what they do and very few complaints need to cross our desks – testament to the high regard in which they hold their customers and their dedication to getting it right first time."

Leon Livermore, Chief Executive, Trading Standards Institute said

"It is essential that TSI ensure code sponsors are complying with the requirements of the consumer codes approval scheme and that consumers can be reassured that the high standards of the scheme are being adhered to.
I would like to congratulate VBRA on their commitment to raising consumer standards."

'crash for cash' - fraudsters admit £150,000 personal injury insurance con from coach crash

Liam Gray pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to defraud at Southwark Crown Court, while his friends Ben Carberry and Kevin Hamilton each pleaded guilty to one count.

The case came to court after Service Underwriting referred suspicions about whiplash claims from 30 people who had been travelling by coach to Belle Vue dog track in Manchester, in December 2011, to the City of London Police's Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED), triggering a criminal investigation.

The driver of the coach had told the insurer he was made to pull over on a roundabout at a junction of the M57 by passengers who said the coach had been hit from behind by a Renault Megane, even though he had felt no impact.

He reported that there was only very superficial damage to both vehicles, but that the passengers decided to cancel their trip saying they felt unwell and asked to be taken back to The Mons pub in Bootle where they had been picked up.

He said that before leaving the coach the entire group stated that they had been injured and gave him their details. He then watched as they ran across a dual carriageway and into the pub.

The insurer later established through a social networking site that Gray, Carberry and Hamilton all knew each other and had been to Everton football matches together.

IFED detectives travelled to Liverpool twice in 2012, arresting Gray and Carberry in June and Hamilton and Joe Hindley a month later.
They had found Gray hiding in a bathroom in Carberry's flat and at Gray's flat they seized Hamilton's driving licence and documents relating to the Renault.

Their investigation established that prior to the collision Gray had bought the Renault, along with insurance for Hamilton, and that Carberry had arranged and paid for the coach, as well as the group booking for the dog track.

They also identified that Hamilton had driven the Renault at very low speed into the back of the coach and that Carberry was Gray's contacts on the coach.

In November Gray was charged with two counts of conspiracy to defraud, while Carberry, Hamilton and Hindley were each charged with one count.

Gray, aged 26, of First Avenue in Fazakerley, was yesterday (Monday 19 August 2013) remanded in custody to appear at Southwark Crown Court at a later date.

Carberry, aged 20, of Old Hall Street in Liverpool city centre, and Hamilton, aged 35, of Asser Road in West Derby, will also be sentenced at the court at a later date.

'Flash-for-cash' labelled as the new motor insurance scam

UK motorists are being warned about a new insurance scam, being labelled by anti-fraud experts as "flash-for-cash", whereby criminals flash their lights to let other drivers out of a junction, then crash into them on purpose, according to the BBC.

The gangs tend to target new, smarter vehicles or vulnerable road users, including older people and women with children in the car.

The scam is costing insurers hundreds of millions of pounds every year.

It is a new tactic for an already well established crime, called "crash for cash", where criminals slam on the brakes for no reason so that the victim drives into the back of their car.

Police investigators said the criminals will often remove the bulbs in their brake lights so other road users don't know they're stopping.

However, "flash-for-cash" is more crafty, because it is harder to prove in court, often coming down to the innocent driver's word against the criminal's that they flashed their lights to let them out.

Fake claims

Each "accident" can net the gangs tens of thousands of pounds in a variety of ways.

Firstly, they put in false personal injury claims for whiplash, sometimes including claims for people who were not even in the car. Added to that, they might charge the insurance company for loss of earnings, then they put in fake bills for vehicle storage, recovery, repairs, and replacement car hire.

Detective Inspector Dave Hindmarsh from the Metropolitan Police is an expert at catching them out. He says this kind of crime costs the industry a fortune and, as ever, it's the honest, insurance-paying motorist who is footing the bill.

"The problem is a growing problem. Financially it costs insurers £392m a year - that impacts on motorists as it's an extra £50 to £100 on every person's premium so that's a financial cost.

"[There are] emotional costs [as] if you're involved in a crash you could well lose your confidence, and if your passengers are children they may well become wary of being passengers in cars, and of course you may get injured or killed," he said.

This latest "flash-for-cash" warning has come from Asset Protection Unit (APU), a company which helps the police and the insurance industry investigate fraud. Neil Thomas at APU says the criminals pick on people who are not going to put up a fight,

"Perhaps single females in the car with children in the back, perhaps doing the school run. Where they know there's going to be no resistance, no real argument at the scene. The children are going to be upset".

Good intentions

Generally speaking, drivers are not meant to flash their lights to let people out onto busy roads. It is meant to be used as a warning.

The Highway Code says: "Flashing headlights. Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users. Never assume that flashing headlights is a signal inviting you to proceed. Use your own judgement and proceed carefully."

However, the reality is that most people do use it as a friendly gesture, and law-abiding motorists feel it's a shame that something that is meant to be so positive, a rare show of good manners on the road, is now being abused by criminals.

The police and fraud experts believe that by raising awareness, and making people more wary, there is a good chance many drivers won't take the bait when the criminals lay a trap.

Direct Line - Half of drivers ignore basic advice to prevent deadly tiredness at the wheel

Drivers are being advised to take simple steps to avoid falling asleep at the wheel as the holiday season starts and many families prepare for long distance travel to destinations across the UK and Europe.

Road safety charity Brake and Direct Line today reveal more than half of drivers (55%) are ignoring basic advice to take rest breaks at least every two hours on long journeys, while one in ten (9%) don't stop at all on long journeys unless they absolutely have to.

Many also admit failing to get enough sleep the night before a long journey, as less than half (45%) make sure they get at least seven hours' sleep.

Brake and Direct Line are warning families gearing up for long holiday journeys that too little sleep and too few breaks radically affects your ability to drive safely.

After five hours' sleep you only have a one in ten chance of staying fully awake on a lengthy journey.

The survey of 1,000 drivers from across the UK by Brake and Direct Line showed widespread complacency about the risks of tired drivers on long journeys.
It found:

- Male drivers are far more likely to drive for longer periods without stopping

- 14% of male drivers have driven for six hours or more without stopping, compared with 3% of female drivers.

- Half of male drivers (50%) have driven for four hours or more without stopping, compared with a third (31%) of females.

- A third of drivers (35%) admit sometimes or always trying to push on if they feel sleepy at the wheel. 38% of males do this compared to 31% of females.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, the road safety charity, said:

"A large proportion of the driving public are scarily confident they can push on through on long drives without stopping.
In reality, regular breaks – at least every two hours – are essential for staying alert and awake, as is getting plenty of sleep the night before.

"Sleepiness can catch you unawares at the wheel and it only takes a couple of seconds on a motorway to cause absolute carnage.
The summer means long journeys for many families hoping to catch some sun at the coast or abroad. Brake is warning that to make sure you and your loved ones get there safely you need to allow plenty of time to take it easy, take regular rest breaks, and ensure you get a full night's sleep beforehand."

Rob Miles, head of Motor at Direct Line, commented:

"Tiredness and driving are a deadly combination. Not only is there a risk of falling asleep at the wheel, but when we are tired our reactions and awareness of our surroundings are not as sharp as they would normally be.
Whilst tired drivers may think that stopping for a break will increase their journey time, it's not worth the risk to themselves, their passengers or other road users. It is better to get there late than not to arrive at all."

The facts

Driver tiredness is one of the biggest killers on our roads. In the UK driver tiredness is estimated to cause one in five deaths on trunk roads. In 2011 in Great Britain it was reported 84 people were killed and 420 suffered serious injuries in tiredness related crashes, although the real figure could be higher, because it can be difficult to prove when a crash is caused by a driver falling asleep. They tend to be high-speed crashes, because drivers do not brake before crashing, so the risk of death or serious injury is greater.

Calls to government

Brake supports recent government proposals to allow drivers who oversleep at motorway service stations to pay for their parking retrospectively to avoid a fine.

But it calls for more to be done to help drivers by creating more stopping places for drivers to take a break and more government advertising on the risks of driving tired, raising awareness about the importance of not embarking on a journey while tired, and steps to take if you start to feel drowsy at the wheel. We also need greater crash protection on trunk roads, such as longer crash barriers over bridges, to reduce the severity of crashes if they do happen.

Action to tackle tired driving among fleet drivers is also needed because an estimated four in ten tired driver crashes involves a commercial vehicle driver. Brake recommends regular testing of people who drive for work for sleep apnoea, a treatable condition that makes falling asleep at the wheel much more likely, thought to be particularly widespread among HGV drivers. Brake also believes the rules controlling hours that can be driven by truck and bus drivers should be extended to cover fleet drivers in vans and cars.

Ministers urged to speed up a crackdown on young drivers

Ministers are putting hundreds of lives at risk by delaying a Green Paper on tackling young driver safety - a coalition of insurers, police chiefs and farmers warns today.

In a letter to the Daily Telegraph, published today, campaigners urge the Government to live up to a promise to launch consultation on measures such as night-time curfews on young motorists, minimum one year learning periods and a zero tolerance on alcohol.

Ministers promised in March to publish proposals by the end of the Spring. Campaigners are worried the Government will not only miss the self-imposed deadline but that they end up watering down the plans.

The ABI, Association of Police Chiefs, road safety charity Brake, and the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs have now grouped together with other organisations in the biggest ever collective call for action.

The ABI's Louise Hanson, assistant director for strategy, said: "If this Government doesn't act we will continue to see young lives being wasted."

She added support of the Farmers Clubs and ACPO in the call for action should silence critics who claim a crackdown would not be supported in rural areas - and would be impossible to police.

Nearly, 2,500 people aged 16 to 25 were killed in 2011 or suffered serious injuries on Britain's roads while driving a car or being driven by another young motorist.

In the letter the 8 organisations say:

"Despite each casualty being a needless waste of life and heart-breaking for families, successive governments have failed to take decisive action to stop this tragic loss of young lives.
We welcome this Government's interest in improving driver safety and are calling for it to seize the opportunity.

"We need a genuine and open debate about the combination of changes to the testing and training system that has the best chance of making our roads safer for young people and everyone one."

The ABI last summer called for under 25s to be forced to learn to drive for a minimum of 12 months and for a controversial curfew on night time driving in a bid to tackle accidents by younger motorists.

Other measures included limiting the number of passengers allowed in a car with a new young drivers.

The ABI vowed its members would cut the cost of insurance for young motorists if it's measures were implemented in full.

Insurers claim that younger drivers make up just 12 per cent of licence holders but are involved in a quarter of all road deaths and serious accidents.

Campaigners believe the Government is worried about the effect a crackdown on young motorists would have on mobility, particularly in the countryside.

But a Michelin study revealed by the Daily Telegraph in May showed 17 to 25 year-old drivers were twice as likely to crash on rural roads.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive of road safety charity Brake added:

"The longer the Government leaves this the more people will lose their lives, the more people will suffer injuries.
We have been campaigning for years but in the past all we have seen is people talking about tinkering with driving tests. That's not enough, we need to see bold action and as quickly as possible."

Tesco- launches telematics car insurance policy aimed at 17 - 25 year olds; administered by Insurethebox

Tesco Bank has launched a pay-as-you-drive telematics policy aimed at young drivers aged between 17 and 25.

The Tesco Bank Box Insurance policy awards bonus miles if young people drive well, resulting in lower premiums on renewal, and includes an alert service that automatically contacts a call centre in the event of an accident.

The policy, which is administered by Insure The Box Limited and underwritten by Catlin Insurance Company and Great Lakes Reinsurance, is based on a telematics box installed in the car.

The box tracks the young driver's performance against 6 factors:
1 speed
2 braking
3 time of day
4 distances
5 type of road
6 breaks taken

The information gained is fed to policy holders through a personal web-portal so they can monitor their own performance.

Tesco Bank managing director, insurance Karl Bedlow, at said:
"Sitting behind the wheel of a car in those first few years of driving is exciting but also daunting and we want to help young drivers, and their parents, make it as safe as possible."

Research conducted for Tesco Bank by Vision Critical on a sample of 504 drivers aged 18-25 and 1,003 parents of children who learnt to drive found that 39% of young drivers said they had been involved in an accident.

Two thirds of young drivers said that regular feedback on their driving ability would help them to drive more safely. Among parents, 64% worried about their children's safety on the roads and 22% feared that their child drove recklessly.

Nearly HALF of women apply make-up behind the wheel, causing as many as 450,000 car accidents A YEAR

- 43% admitted putting on their face while driving cars on the daily commute
- Most commonly applied at traffic lights or in a traffic jam
- Confess they know it is dangerous, but still continue to do it anyway
- Lip gloss is most popular cosmetic to apply while driving - 35% do it
- Average time spent applying make-up before work is 10 minutes
- Just 5% of women don't wear any make-up to work

It is not so much a case of mirror, signal, manoeuvre as mirror, signal, mascara.

Almost half of women admit applying make-up while driving – mainly because they get out of bed at the last minute, a poll reveals.

Some 46 per cent go for last-minute beauty top-ups – most often at traffic lights or while queuing – and 43 per cent say they do it even though they know it is wrong.

Insurers estimate that as many as 450,000 accidents a year are caused by women drivers being distracted while applying cosmetics.

Yet only 14 per cent said using make-up in the car affected their driving, according to a poll of 1,000 women by semi-permanent make-up specialist Debra Robson.

Lip gloss, mascara and lipstick were the most commonly applied products by commuters.

But the reason for their haste is time pressure. A fifth are so rushed in the morning they spend just five minutes doing their make-up.

And it isn't just behind the wheel that women are carrying out an on-the-go beauty regime.

More than six out of ten (63 per cent) put on make-up on the train, and a further 43 per cent on the bus.

The most popular make-up products applied by commuters are lip gloss (35 per cent), mascara (30 per cent), lipstick (25 per cent), bronzer (6 per cent) and eyeliner (4 per cent).

Furthermore, a panicked one fifth (21 per cent) are so rushed they spend just five minutes doing their make-up, while 42 per cent spend 10 minutes and 22 per cent spend 20 minutes.

Only 10 per cent of women spend 30 minutes or more putting on their faces before work, and just 5 per cent don't wear any make-up at work.

Debra Robson, of Harley Street clinic Debra Robson LDN, who commissioned the survey, said: 'We all know putting make-up on in the car is wrong - but nearly half of us do it.

'It's because most professional women do everything in a rush, particularly in the mornings when they are juggling a multitude of tasks.

'That's why so many women are finishing off their make-up routine on their daily commute - whether that is in the car or on the bus or the train.

'Faced with such time pressures, increasing numbers of women are trying semi-permanent make-up.

'It saves vital minutes in the mornings and means your make-up looks great from the moment you wake up.'

Thatcham website opens vehicle safety up for scrutiny

Consumers given a new level of insight into vehicle safety thanks to an upgraded online search function from Thatcham

The vehicle safety, security and repair specialist has released an improved version of the 'My Vehicle' tool as part of a full website overhaul for www.thatcham.org. Searchable vehicle safety information on the system includes insurance grouping, Autonomous Emergency Braking fitment, whiplash safety and the security ratings.

"The website update is a major step forward in bringing Thatcham's online presence up to date, allowing us to deliver a range of exciting, new online features," said Thatcham's Head of IT, Daniel Payne. "The 'My Vehicle' application gives people the ability to find out in-depth information about the safety of either their own car, or one they are looking to buy. With these details users will be able to make a more informed choice on something which can ultimately affect the safety of them and their whole family."

Other new functions include an "Insights, Papers and Research" area where repairers and insurance engineers can stay abreast of technical manufacturing developments on new vehicles and view in-depth reports on the automotive issues of the day. The media will also benefit from a comprehensive and fully searchable news section.

Navigation across the site has also improved as a result of the extensive development and redesign project, which has enabled visitors to quickly find the content they need through a simpler approach to site navigation. Meanwhile, a refresh and rationalisation of content brings the site up to date and accurately reflects the evolving Thatcham Research product and service offering.

"We wanted an engaging, new website with a modern look and feel, but at the heart of everything was the visitor experience." said Daniel. "We know that our website serves a wide mix of visitors including repairers, insurers, vehicle manufacturers, motorists and media outlets – the challenge was in demonstrating exactly how Thatcham's work touches all these groups and making it easy for visitors to find the content they came for."

Existing subscribers to the Technical Helpline service as well as Code 44 data will be unaffected by the change, other than seeing an improvement in overall layout.

Government - increase fixed-penalty roadside fines to £100 and extend coverage to middle-lane hoggers; uninsured driving fine now £300

- Will also penalise those who cut up, tailgate or block the outside lane
- Penalty to increase from £60 to £100 for a range of existing offences
- Include using phone, speeding, jumping lights and not wearing a seat belt
- Fines for uninsured drivers are set to rise from £200 to £300.

Drivers who hog the middle lane of a motorway face £100 fines and three penalty points.

In a crackdown on anti-social motoring unveiled today, a new fixed penalty offence of careless driving will also target those who cut up other cars, tailgate or block a dual carriageway's outside lane.

Ministers are at the same time increasing from £60 to £100 the fines for a range of existing offences.

These include using a hand-held phone at the wheel, speeding, jumping lights and failing to wear a seat belt. All bar the last also carry three penalty points.

Police officers, guided by the Highway Code, will have to decide who is guilty of hogging the middle lane or tailgating – getting too close to the car in front.

They will issue the fines at the roadside. It is likely that only the worst drivers, who misbehave over half a mile or more, will be fined and given penalty points.

Occasional offenders will be given the chance to go on a driving course similar to those offered to speeders.

Edmund King of the AA said middle-lane hogs, tailgaters and mobile phone users were the top three most hated types of driver in a poll of members.
But he said the bureaucratic difficulty and expense of securing convictions would mean only the most serious offenders would be targeted.

"There has to be discretion. If someone is driving for half a mile in the middle lane when the inside lane is clear, then it's a clear case. Under this system it will be easy for a police car to stop you and give you a ticket."

He said using fixed cameras to track tailgaters was technically difficult and had not worked in other countries.

The £100 fines are to be announced in a written statement by road safety minister Stephen Hammond and follow a public consultation exercise last year.

They will apply to motorways, dual carriageways and three-lane highways such as the A3 from south-west London through Surrey and Hampshire, which is notorious for 'middle-lane hoggers'.

Stephen Glaister of the RAC Foundation welcomed the crackdown but insisted tougher fines must be accompanied by tougher enforcement.

"Anti-social behaviour is as big a problem on the roads as it is in wider society. Giving police more discretion to act, and freeing up resources to allow them to do so by cutting procedural delays in court, is good news.
'We are also pleased to see that the stick is accompanied by the chance of re-education for moderate offenders.

"Raising the fine level to £100 is justifiable to tackle the plague of handheld mobile phone use which slows drivers' reaction times even more than being at the drink drive limit or taking cannabis. The police need to target the large number of motorists continuing to flout the law daily."

Last month the Mail reported that Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin was preparing action against antisocial drivers with increased fines.

Mr McLoughlin said unacceptable and potentially lethal behaviour such as texting, tweeting or using Facebook at the wheel was causing fatal accidents.

Hands-free mobile phone use while driving is legal. But the use of hand-held phones has been banned since 2003 and became an endorsable offence in 2007.

Fix Auto advises fleets on end of contract damage

Fleet Managers and business drivers who opt to lease their cars could save themselves having to pay hundreds of pounds when they hand their keys back simply by seeking professional advice on minor damage and subsequent repairs.

That's the view of Ian Pugh, Managing Director of Fix Auto. He says that many drivers of leased vehicles are not fully aware of the financial penalties that they or their companies face when handing back damaged vehicles, and believes the vast majority of damage could easily - and more importantly, cost effectively - be rectified.

The former technician who spent 15 years working in the insurance inspection and assessment sector, stresses that those drivers who are actually aware of the financial burden when handing back a lightly damaged vehicle all too often amplify their situation by using inexperienced repairers. Even worse, some drivers make their own shoddy touch-up attempts to try and hide or rectify typical damage such as scuffs to bumpers, stone chips on bonnets and scratched alloy wheels.

Ian said: "There comes a time when every leased car comes to the end of its contract and has to be handed back.All too often, the first the driver or fleet manager becomes aware of the penalty he or she faces for damage is when they receive a bill - sometimes for hundreds of pounds - once they've handed their keys back.

"Leasing companies are lenient to general wear and tear, but their monthly rental is dependent upon the vehicle preserving a strong residual value, so there is a fine line as to what is or isn't general wear. This can be clarified and rectified by simply having it inspected by a qualified and experienced bodyshop technician who'll be able to provide an instant quote on bringing the vehicle back to showroom condition, if indeed any work is required."

He adds: "Drivers who try to repair themselves or obtain a 'cheap' repair often make the things far worse - they have to remember a leased vehicle is put through a stringent inspection process in order to have a resale value placed on it. A shoddy or poor repair will often devalue a vehicle far greater because it becomes harder to sell at auction or on a forecourt than one which hasn't been touched."

In order to combat the problem and to help company car fleets, more and more Fix Auto centres across the UK are providing services such as free defleet inspections, one day repairs and SMART repairs, alongside facilities such as office space and free Wi-Fi to ensure fleet drivers can keep working while their vehicle is being repaired.

"All Fix Auto bodyshops are fully conversant with industry standard Fair Wear & Tear guidelines, and so are perfectly placed to advise on what does and doesn't need rectifying. We have processes in place to turn around a repair, which includes re-spraying, in a matter of hours and even though we keep a vehicle's downtime to a minimum, we recognise that it is crucial for the driver to maintain productivity - many of our centres are now equipped ensure this is achieved with little or no disruption,"Ian concluded.

Fix Auto appoints Portsmouth-based Motorworld Car Bodyshop to its national network

Fix Auto UK has further strengthened its national bodyshop network with the appointment of Portsmouth-based Motorworld Car Bodyshop Ltd.

The latest signing comes less than two weeks after Fix Auto Tavistock joined the operation and cements Fix Auto's position as the UK's largest fully-branded body repair network.
Owned and managed by brothers Chris and Terry Clemens who started the business in 1996, the new appointment will trade as Fix Auto Portsmouth and is strategically placed in the heart of the historic naval city.

The BSI Kitemark-accredited 10,000 sq ft operation employs 10 people and has the capability to repair up to 150 cars and LCVs each month.

"We have succeeded so far by providing a high quality repair service," said Terry, "but my brother and I recognise that despite our high standards, to continue to flourish we needed the very best business support and guidance the industry has to offer. Fix Auto UK brings those qualities, and far more besides, to our business. We're very proud to be working alongside like minded repair centres who share the same vision."

Chris added: "We are extremely excited to become part of Fix Auto UK. We have been working behind the scenes with the Fix Auto UK team over the past month and in that short amount of time we are already reaping the benefits with the implementation of new working practices and systems. We're looking forward to seeing the tangible impact on our bottom line and we believe that we will have a bright and prosperous future."

Commenting on the latest appointment, Fix Auto UK's Managing Director Ian Pugh, said: "These are really exciting times for the entire business. Adding Fix Auto Portsmouth is a major coup for our network because it strengthens our service offering in the south of England to insurers and motorists alike. It dovetails nicely with our existing bodyshops in Petersfield and Brighton in the area, and fits perfectly with the requirements of our major clients. I'm delighted to welcome Chris and Terry on board!"

Road Safety Insight: Councillors Deem Potholes As ‘Annoying, Common And Uncontrollable’

The top road safety priority for local councillors is improving road surfaces and reducing potholes, according to a survey conducted by road safety charity, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).

74 per cent of councillors placed potholes in their top five road-safety priorities while 61 per cent think that the budgets for repairing them will decrease or stay the same.

Almost half of councillors surveyed think that road safety targets should have been kept. Fifty-eight per cent of local councillors agree that budget cuts are having a negative impact on roads and road safety, with one in four councillors strongly agreeing.

Although councillors agreed that transport was a priority half of them thought that their transport budget would reduce in the next year.

In a separate Motortrades Insight survey of councillors across the UK, nearly one in four (23.8 per cent) say potholes in their local area are ‘very annoying, common and uncontrollable’.

Road safety is a huge topic for councillors, with 80 per cent of those in Motortrades Insight’s survey knowing a person who has been ‘dramatically affected by drink driving’.

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “It’s good to see that potholes are councillors’ top priority as this is a big concern for motorists.  More must be done to fix our roads before the backlog of repairs becomes unmanageable.

“The results show that different political parties offer the electorate real choice on their transport priorities. Conservative councillors are more likely to focus on road building, road surfaces and car parking, while Labour councillors appear to be more likely to prioritise road safety and the use of public transport. Liberal Democrats are more likely to focus on cycling and walking.

“Councillors say that road safety is a priority so they must put up a stronger fight to protect road safety budgets.  It’s also clear that there is a need to set up smart new targets that will help everyone in road safety focus on the highest risk groups in society.”