Thatcham drives whiplash debate

Thatcham chief executive Peter Shaw presented the research centre’s vision on how to improve vehicle safety and reduce whiplash

The presentation came as senior transport ministers and insurance bosses held talks this week.

The Department for Transport’s insurance summit, hosted by the secretary of state for Transport Patrick McLoughlin, provided an opportunity to discuss a number of fundamental insurance and automotive issues ahead of a full government green paper outlining possible future legislation, to be published later in the spring.

High on the agenda were issues surrounding young drivers and the changes the insurance industry feels should be made to support Graduated Driving licences , but also key were the on-going discussions around the unacceptably high number of whiplash claims in the UK.

Peter Shaw, presenting on behalf of Thatcham and the insurance industry, recognised the great work of vehicle manufacturers on the continued introduction of important safety technologies, but also invited ministers to consider further incentives for manufacturers to fit key safety equipment as standard.

Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) in particular has been shown in real world trials to reduce low speed collisions by at least 20%. Impressed by the research, the ABI (Association of British Insurers) agreed in October last year to reflect the standard fitment of AEB into the vehicle group rating system, potentially providing owners with a favourable insurance premium. However there remains plenty of scope for vehicle manufacturers to make the standard fitment of such equipment a priority on new models.

‘Stop the crash, Stop the claim’ was Peter’s simple message as the discussion moved on to whiplash, citing AEB as a critical driver in reducing claims. Turning to seats and head restraints and their ability to protect the occupant, vehicle manufacturers were once again acknowledged for their efforts in improving designs. However, as the number of whiplash claims remains highly unsatisfactory, Peter was also keen to show how biomechanical and engineering evidence driven by Thatcham’s unique research and testing programme could be used, at least in part, to validate claims as similar evidence does in other European countries.

‘This was an excellent opportunity to demonstrate just how far the automotive industry has come in terms of improvements in safety and how insurers have in turn embraced this innovation and provided both manufacturers and consumers a reason to embrace AEB fitment.’ said Peter, ‘However, clearly there is still work to do and it’s great news that we are able to present some of our own recommendations to this important group, who will now have a major influence in moving the whiplash and vehicle safety debate forward.’

Motorists Brace For 25 Years Of Worsening Weather, Potholes And Dodging Mini-Craters

Potholes are destroying the finances of Britain’s hard-working drivers - motorists who are being forced into balancing their finances to pay for car repairs and food for their families.

With a recent survey revealing two thirds of motorists have found themselves in a dangerous situation, swerving to avoid a pothole, drivers in the West Midlands have been worst hit with 76 per cent swerving or braking suddenly to avoid the 2.2 million craters that plague Britain's roads.

Throughout the UK, the overall average number of motorists forced to swerve stands at 8,682,000 – or 27 per cent. That is an 11.9 per cent increase from two years ago, when only 7,757,000 drivers were estimated to have been forced to evade potholes, according to Kwik Fit estimates.

So as Britain’s roads worsen, will it get any better? No, is the simple answer, according to Sir John Beddington, the UK’s Chief Scientist, who believes there is enough CO2 in the atmosphere for there to be more droughts and floods over the coming 25 years.

And if that proves to be the case, councils would literally be throwing money down the drain in the constant battle with the weather – snow, ice and storms being the cause of worsening potholes.

“Potholes are a growing problem for motorists, not just through the damage they cause, but the fact that they force drivers to make risky manoeuvres,” explained Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit. “A motorist who suddenly veers around a hole, or brakes heavily without warning, will give other road users very little time to react.  It’s no surprise that more than three million drivers have either been in, or witnessed an accident caused by a driver avoiding a pothole and this recent spell of freezing weather is only going to make the situation worse.”

In avoiding potholes, around 2.2 million people had to come to a complete halt – a hazard to drivers and cyclists behind them who often have to swerve or slam on the brakes.

Meanwhile, nearly six million drivers hit the kerb and 1.8 million drivers irresponsibly mounted pavements, terrifying thousands of elderly people who were driving their mobility scooters, taking their adorable terriers for a walk or simply strolling to their local store to pick up the newspaper.

But local councils simply do not have the money to fix every pothole before more craters emerge.

And with winters like this year’s expected to become commonplace over the next two decades, motorists should not remain too optimistic about the UK’s pothole war being won.

Motortrades Insight recently reported on the increase in the number of cars sustaining suspension damage as a result of poor road maintenance.

http://motortradesinsight.co.uk/article_page.asp?id=238&topic=pothole-wars-motorists-brace-for-25-years-of-worsening-weather-potholes-and-dodging-mini-craters

A million drive damaged cars because they are scared of being hit with insurance hikes if they report a prang

More than one million people are driving damaged cars because they are scared of being hit with a steep premium hike if they report a prang to their insurer.

Drivers have become desperate to keep insurers in the dark about accidents, so are increasingly paying for repairs themselves or failing to get them fixed at all.

Figures from car cover specialists Accident Exchange show the extent to which drivers are worried about the serious financial consequences of being involved in a shunt — even if it was not their fault.

Thousands have been hit with sharp rises in their premiums after telling their insurer about a crash.

For a driver with a £500 excess suffering damage caused by a parking bump or lower-speed accident, it is often cheaper to pay for the claim out of their own pocket rather than pay the excess and face a bigger bill from their insurer.

Even when the car has not needed repairing or the driver was blameless — sometimes not even being in the vehicle at the time —they have been hit with cost increases when their policy comes up for renewal.
Insurers can justify this because they will claim you have suddenly become a much higher risk, even if you have decades of incident-free driving.

Car cover premiums have risen by 30 per cent in the past three years.
The cost of policies bought through comparison sites — which make up a significant number of all motor insurance policies sold — rose by nearly 5 per cent last year, reaching an average of £1,180 for comprehensive policies, according to the AA.

Money Mail has been bombarded with calls from angry readers who have fallen victim to soaring premiums and have been lumbered with huge excesses after reporting an accident that was not their fault.
So steep are some of the premium hikes that worried drivers opt to cover the one-off cost of the repair themselves, or simply don't get it fixed, rather than face years of sky-high insurance bills.

Next month, new rules will limit the amount that no-win, no-fee lawyers can bill insurers for their client's costs — even when they win a case.
Typically, these can be up to £1,300 a time and insurers argue they have no choice but to bump up premiums as a result.

It is thought this new law will save insurers £1.3?billion a year. But drivers might only see around £24 knocked off their premiums.

On top of this, government officials are due to meet with motor insurers next week to discuss how to further slash the cost of car cover. But motorists are still complaining of being hit by rip-off tactics to make them pay more. The Financial Ombudsman Service expects another huge surge in grievances this year — following a 26?per cent jump to 7,264 in 2012.

Many readers claim they have been hit by soaring fees simply for renewing, cancelling or changing a policy.

For example, the average charge to set up a policy has jumped from £13.25 in 2008 to £27.98 in January this year, according to figures from data firm Defaqto. And fees for cancelling your insurance have soared from £34.14 to £43.44.

A spokesman for the Association Of British Insurers says: 'We have to wait for the legal changes to bed down before we see changes in the cost of insurance.'

MoneySupermarket - British motorists waste £2 billion automatically renewing car insurance

• Motorists could each save £300 a year by switching
• Seven million drivers stay loyal to their existing provider at renewal time and two million can't be bothered to shop around

British motorists are burning over £2 billion as a nation by staying loyal to their existing car insurance provider.
By sticking with an existing provider at renewal time and not shopping around for a better deal, drivers could be throwing away £300 each, says MoneySupermarket.com.

With the new '13' plate car registrations released next week, research has found seven million motorists (19 per cent) automatically renew their car insurance with their existing provider.
11 per cent don't think they could save money, and worryingly a further six per cent, or two million drivers, just can't be bothered to shop around for a better deal

On average motorists remain faithful to their existing provider for 2.7 years, with the over 55's being the most loyal group sticking by their insurer for an average of 3.5 years.
London drivers are the most apathetic of all the regions, staying loyal for 3.6 years.
The most active and savvy switchers at renewal time are living in the Yorkshire and Humber area who tend to remain with their provider for 1.8 years on average.

Pete Harrison, car insurance expert at MoneySupermarket, said:

"At a time when it's pretty tough out there for motorists, it's a shame to see so many drivers surrender so easily to their insurance provider's renewal quote instead of taking action and saving cash.
Motorists don't even need to 'drive' a hard bargain; on average there's £300 cash up for grabs to those who don't just accept the renewal price generated by their car insurance provider.

"No matter where you live or how old you are, it's vital to do your homework at renewal time, as searching for a better deal doesn't cost you anything and there is much to gain.
It takes about five minutes to check if there is a cheaper policy out there to suit your individual needs."

More than a million motorists DO NOT have car repaired following an accident, says Accident Exchange

More than a million cash-strapped motorists are driving on Britain's roads with accident-damaged vehicles, new research suggests.

Tens of thousands could be unaware that the safety of their vehicles has been compromised by minor prangs, according to Accident Exchange, which calculated the estimate.

As petrol prices soared, annual car travel fell by over 9 billion miles – or 2.9% – between 2006 and 2012. While the number of accidents remained largely static, the percentage reported to the authorities fell by 2.2% and the number of recorded repairs fell even more significantly – a massive 21%.

That leaves an estimated 1,092,000 drivers who opted not to have their vehicles repaired following an accident in the last 12 months alone.

Analysts at Accident Exchange, which manages thousands of accidents annually, say that a combination of crippling insurance costs and squeezed household incomes have underpinned the potentially worrying trend.

With motorists maximising excesses in an effort to reduce insurance premiums, the financial impact on already stretched household incomes has seen a rise in 'delayed repairs'.

Accident Exchange CEO, Steve Evans, said: "The double whammy impact of losing their No Claims Discounts and paying increased excesses on insurance claims has seen the number of private settlements between fault and non-fault drivers rise. The innocent party is then choosing to pocket the money rather than seeking to repair what they see merely as cosmetic damage."

For a driver with a £500 excess, cosmetic damage caused by a car parking bump or lower-speed accident is often cheaper to settle privately rather than claim through their insurance policy.

Some insurers are offering excesses as high as £750, which can dramatically reduce monthly premiums, but one in three motorists admit that they could not afford to pay the excess they agreed to on their policy.

The risk is that damage done by minor prangs is more than cosmetic and that the structural integrity of the vehicle may compromised, despite not being visible.

Components at the front of the car such as the 'crash box', radiator or airbag sensors, if damaged or moved even at low speeds, could compromise the effectiveness of the car's safety features in the event of another accident.

On some models in particular, hydraulic suspension parts at the front of the car can be shifted out of place and weakened by a minor bump, greatly increasing the risk of suspension collapse later.

The 'crash box' is a collapsible zone at the front of the car, specifically-designed to be weaker than the structure of the passenger compartment so that, in the event of a frontal impact, it absorbs the kinetic energy of the crash rather than the occupants.

At speeds of under 10mph, this safety feature will minimise repair costs but any weakening of the crash box could hinder its ability to dampen the effect of future collisions, decelerate the vehicle and protect those in the car from serious injury.

AA - a new plague of potholes in the UK; 1 in 3 cars damaged by potholes; pothole damge insurance claims doubling

• Pothole damage claims to AA Insurance doubled
• A third of AA member's cars damaged by pothole in last two years
• Asphalt Industry Alliance 'Alarm Survey 2013' reports 30% more potholes in 2012
• Alarm Survey identifies £2.5 billion maintenance backlog in England and Wales

A third of AA members have rated the overall surface condition of their local roads as poor, very poor or terrible in a new AA Populus poll. Only 10% rated them very good or excellent.

As spring arrives AA patrols are reporting potholes appearing faster than daffodils.

Local roads in Scotland and Yorkshire and Humberside fared worst with more than 40% reporting condition as poor, very poor or terrible.

Drivers in Northern Ireland, Wales and London reported roads to be in best condition. But, even there, more than 50% of respondents only rated them as fair.

When asked whether local road condition was better or worse than a year ago, 50% of all respondents said condition was worse with 14% saying much worse.

Only 9% said road condition was better than a year ago and 40% said condition was about the same.

In the North East, 59% of respondents said conditions were worse whilst those saying the roads had improved were greatest in Wales (13%) and London (12%).

The survey also found that a staggering one third of respondents had suffered pothole damage to their vehicle over the last two years.
AA members in Scotland were most likely to report pothole damage with 44% of respondents saying their cars had suffered damage.

Edmund King, AA president, said:
"This spring our patrols are telling us that potholes are popping up faster than daffodils. This reflects the effects of very wet and frosty weather on poor road surfaces.
These AA findings are deeply worrying and show that UK drivers are once again experiencing a bad pothole season after a lull last spring - perhaps with worse to come.
The slight let-up in potholes this time last year may have been just a blip in the annual pothole blight that seems to beset us each spring.

"What is even more worrying is the fact that the new 2013 Asphalt Industry Alliance 'Alarm Survey' reveals the scale of the problem from a local authority perspective and things look particularly bleak, with more potholes, a bigger maintenance backlog and less cash.

"Ring-fenced finance must be found to plug an increasing gap in highway budgets - otherwise drivers and local authorities will end up paying more to repair damage that could have been prevented.
We urge drivers to report potholes to highways authorities to allow them to take action and prevent road users from being endangered and their vehicles suffering damage".

VOSA - confirm changes to MOT test from 20 March

Changes to the MOT for cars and large vehicle tests come into force later this month as new European requirements on roadworthiness take effect.

From 20 March 2013, revised European legislation will introduce new requirements to annual vehicle tests to reflect advances in technology. 

The changes include additional checks for some of the vehicle systems already examined such as brakes, steering, suspension and lighting. These changes will not affect the basic cost of a test. 

Tests carried out on cars, vans, heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches will be affected.

Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) Chief Executive Alastair Peoples said:
"The MOT test is designed to make sure that a vehicle is fit to be on the road and so it needs to be updated to reflect new vehicle technology.

"We at VOSA have worked closely with the industry to make sure they are prepared for the changes; and testers have been letting customers know about the new items at the MOT test for more than a year to make sure they are ready for the changes."

There will be new checks on a number of items including:

• Electronic power steering malfunction indicator lamp 
• Brake fluid warning lamp illuminated or inoperative 
• Engine mountings 
• Speedometer 

These changes that are being introduced from 20 March 2013 are as a result of the European legislation but will not affect the basic cost of a test.