High Court Judge refuses whiplash damages, describing Britain's compensation culture as a "national phenomenon"

A High Court Judge recently dismissed the claims of two women for whiplash as lies as he said Britain's compensation culture, which costs billions every year, is getting out of control.

Mr Justice Mostyn dismissed the claims as inaccurate and evasive, based on "an improper pecuniary motive," as he refused to grant damages to two women to "stem the tide" of fake insurance claims.

The women, both immigration officers, took at least a week to report any pain from the crash, described as a "little bump" by others. The court heard it took 18 days for her to complain to her GP about any pain, and Miss Hennessy waited a week before she went to her doctor to report any injury as a result of the impact.

Describing Britain's compensation culture is a "national phenomenon", Judge Mostyn said: "It is proper that I should go on to record that I do not accept the evidence of either of them, which I find to be inaccurate, evasive, partial and advanced for an improper pecuniary motive".

"This is yet a further example of the national phenomenon of false whiplash claims being made and it is in an attempt to stem the tide that I do not shrink from making firm adverse findings against them".

Mr Justice Mostyn said expert medical evidence which appeared to back up the accounts of both women was so similar it cast doubt on the professional objectivity of the expert. In identical terms, medical reports said both had suffered "nervous shock and psychological trauma" and endured "recurrent obtrusive memories of the accident and obsessional thoughts as to how she might have been seriously injured."

Both reports, prepared by a consultant physician, said the women had described their physical symptoms as "severe and constant", having taken many months to clear up.

However the court heard that there was no visible damage to the car after the accident and neither woman reported any injury at the time or asked for time off work.

Mr Justice Mostyn added: "Obviously it is, in terms of probability, almost inconceivable that each of these women would have suffered physically or mentally in precisely the same way."

The court heard Denise Withey, the driver of the Skoda Octavia, had described the accident as minor and her account was backed up by Raymond Stevens, a front seat passenger.

Miss Withey had taken photographs of the car which showed no damage was caused by the impact, and Mr Justice Mostyn described her as a "completely honest witness."

He said: "The contemporaneous material clearly shows that the impact was trivial; that no damage was caused to the vehicle; no hurt was suffered by the front passengers and that any hurt suffered by the rear passengers was trivial, of short duration and therefore non-compensable".

He said Miss Withey had no motive to lie and accepted she drove at low speed and the impact was minor.

He also accepted Miss McIntyre had immediately shouted about her neck and said she could make a compensation claim, and dismissed the cases of both women.

Paula McIntyre and Louise Hennessy made the claim against the Home Office after the work car they were in hit a bollard as it drove out of Seaforth Dock in Liverpool in October 2008.

After the crash a colleague heard Miss McIntyre say: "My neck, my neck, I can make a compensation claim."

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

Councils Receive Share Of Emergency Road Repair Fund

Councils in England have learnt how much money to expect from the government's emergency fund to repair roads damaged by the recent severe weather. This £183.5 million investment follows a particularly harsh winter and will contribute to fixing more than three million potholes. 

The money is being distributed now to ensure that work starts soon, with the expectation that the majority will be complete for the summer holidays. 116 Local Highway Authorities in England will receive a share of the funding, and Transport for London will distribute its payment to the London Boroughs. 

The Authorities will then have to reveal to the public where the money has been spent via their websites - so there will be some accountability. Furthermore, the Chancellor of the Exchequer recently confirmed – during the budget of March 2014 – that a further £200 million pounds will be made available to repair potholes in the financial year 2014 - 2015.

Original article by http://www.motoring.co.uk/car-news/councils-receive-share-of-emergency-road-repair-fund_62167

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

ENGLAND	£173,499,998
LONDON	£10,000,000
EAST MIDLANDS	£11,774,197
Derby	£221,695
Derbyshire	£2,946,577
Leicester	£250,828
Leicestershire	£1,491,977
Lincolnshire	£3,311,952
Northamptonshire	£1,544,481
Nottingham	£232,906
Nottinghamshire	£1,565,207
Rutland	£208,574
EAST OF ENGLAND	£16,174,242
Bedford	£289,423
Central Bedfordshire	£467,714
Cambridgeshire	£1,531,297
Essex	£2,700,386
Hertfordshire	£3,620,756
Luton	£120,725
Norfolk	£3,689,546
Peterborough	£325,057
Southend-on-Sea	£273,418
Suffolk	£2,944,452
Thurrock	£211,468
NORTH EAST	£6,298,272
Darlington	£178,442
Durham	£1,241,952
Gateshead	£294,795
Hartlepool	£131,268
Middlesbrough	£140,529
Newcastle upon Tyne	£282,923
North Tyneside	£251,071
Northumberland	£2,736,241
Redcar and Cleveland	£263,488
South Tyneside	£172,647
Stockton-on-Tees	£258,308
Sunderland	£346,608
NORTH WEST	£13,179,700
Blackburn with Darwen	£171,935
Blackpool	£142,518
Bolton	£309,888
Bury	£192,770
Cheshire East	£1,249,785
Cheshire West and Chester	£856,911
Cumbria	£3,018,761
Halton	£230,978
Knowsley	£202,454
Lancashire	£2,279,110
Liverpool	£465,035
Manchester	£419,421
Oldham	£811,773
Rochdale	£238,301
Salford	£259,010
Sefton	£300,119
St. Helens	£252,281
Stockport	£286,735
Tameside	£220,026
Trafford	£234,953
Warrington	£313,559
Wigan	£358,930
Wirral	£364,447
SOUTH EAST	£44,575,080
Bracknell Forest	£162,840
Brighton and Hove	£295,048
Buckinghamshire	£2,507,486
East Sussex	£2,645,187
Hampshire	£11,509,673
Isle of Wight	**
Kent	£8,602,389
Medway	£266,288
Milton Keynes	£371,011
Oxfordshire	£4,782,149
Portsmouth	£146,868
Reading	£151,947
Slough	£87,613
Southampton	£221,057
Surrey	£5,341,676
West Berkshire	£1,489,480
West Sussex	£3,475,968
Windsor and Maidenhead	£2,123,047
Wokingham	£395,353
SOUTH WEST	£46,753,155
Bath and North East Somerset	£417,931
Bournemouth	£349,312
Bristol	£342,924
Cornwall	£10,758,008
Devon	£6,985,437
Dorset	£5,874,311
Gloucestershire	£3,308,360
Isles of Scilly	£80,827
North Somerset	£395,350
Plymouth	£1,573,772
Poole	£255,311
Somerset	£12,335,841
South Gloucestershire	£479,062
Swindon	£250,459
Torbay	£336,225
Wiltshire	£3,010,025
WEST MIDLANDS	£14,389,334
Coventry	£362,105
Dudley	£318,757
Herefordshire	£3,538,803
Sandwell	£302,501
Shropshire	£1,783,118
Solihull	£723,664
Staffordshire	£2,131,285
Stoke-on-Trent	£261,821
Telford and The Wrekin	£333,278
Walsall	£251,947
Warwickshire	£1,969,251
Wolverhampton	£231,973
Worcestershire	£2,180,831
YORKSHIRE AND HUMBER	£10,356,018
Barnsley	£606,045
Bradford	£575,187
Calderdale	£380,034
Doncaster	£521,974
East Riding of Yorkshire	£1,302,654
Kingston upon Hull	£204,375
Kirklees	£606,663
Leeds	£949,426
North East Lincolnshire	£213,863
North Lincolnshire	£646,518
North Yorkshire	£3,223,589
Rotherham	£392,016
Wakefield	£487,955
York	£245,719

'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

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

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

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."

'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.

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.

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.”

Car insurance doubled after 'phantom crash'

A pensioner said his car insurance premium doubled after a "phantom crash" with a bus.

Mike Brown, 69, received a call in May 2011 from his insurers Toyota to say he had been involved in the collision two months earlier.
(ABP - the date is correct, however the story has only been released today.)

When he dismissed it they apologised, only to ring back three weeks later saying they had CCTV of the incident on March 18.

The insurers said his Toyota Avensis pulled out from a bay in front of a First bus causing it to brake hard.

They said as a result a passenger on the bus had gone to hospital four days after the incident and undergone medical treatment for an eye injury.

Mr Brown lives near the site of the alleged accident so accepted in good faith that if there was CCTV it must have happened.

"I could not possibly remember whether I had been in that area two months ago," Mr Brown said.

"I trusted that if they were saying it was my car on the CCTV then it must be but wish I hadn't now. I had no recollection of the incident.

"When I apply for insurance now my driving record says I pulled out in front of a bus and hit a third party.

"That certainly is not the case. I accept that it's possible I was there but even if I was I certainly didn't hit or get hit by another vehicle.

"If I was involved in an accident there is no way that I would not have stopped at the scene for a start.

"I am cross that I didn't insist on seeing the CCTV. I have asked for statements from the scene because I would expect the police, ambulance and the bus driver to have reported it but I have had nothing."

The resulting claim was for £7,748.

Mr Brown, who has driven for almost 50 years, added: "Now when I search for insurance the incident always comes up and I am given much higher quotations that are sometimes double what they used to be.

"I feel like I have been in a phantom crash that is costing me a fortune."

A spokesman for Toyota Motor Insurance said: "An incident occurred on March 18, 2011 which resulted in CCTV footage being sent to Toyota Insurance via a bus company as a result of a passenger sustaining injury when one of their buses had to execute an emergency stop.

"The policy holder involved was contacted by letter explaining the circumstances and how he could view this footage at his local bus depot to see the incident for himself.

"No contact took place between the two vehicles.

"Liability could not be disputed on the basis of clear visual evidence from the event and another witness.

"A claim was subsequently settled and as with any motor insurance policy on the market today the premium will increase for the policy holder in such circumstances."

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.