Tag Archives: road safety

motoring

Who’s going to drive at Christmas?

We all drink more alcohol than usual at Christmas. After all ’tis the season to be merry, so it’s almost as if it’s expected of us.
But when you’re going out as a family or group of friends, someone has to drive afterwards and she or he who takes on that job has to stay off the booze to keep us all as safe as possible.

Because the facts are that

+ 35,000 drink drive offences were recorded in the first nine months of 2015 – that’s excluding Christmas of course.

+ Having alcohol in your system, even when it’s below the limit, increases your chances of dying in a crash six fold.

+ The total number of drink drive related accidents of all severities totalled 5,620 in 2014. Plus the drivers, passengers, pedestrians, families and friends that are affected by these.

Make a fuss of your volunteer driver

But how many of us think to make a fuss of the one who volunteers to stay completely sober all night? Especially ones who like a tipple as much as the rest of their family and friends.

If your family is like mine, when alcohol or the pub is involved, it’s a given that I’ll drive and be expected to be happy with an occasional J20 whilst they get more ‘cheerful’ than me, topping up with beer.

So let’s raise a glass to our unsung driving heroes, female and male, ie the designated driver on the night.

Maybe someone could come up with a better name than ‘designated driver’ for starters…

Reward her with afternoon tea?

One business that is doing their bit to recognise and celebrate designated drivers is IAM RoadSmart. They’re offering afternoon tea at The Savoy in London as a competition prize. To enter just tweet a picture to the @IAMRoadSmart Twitter page using the hashtag #herooftheroad showing your volunteer driver being celebrated by their family or group of friends.

Former F1 World Champion Nigel Mansell CBE, IAM Roadsmart’s President, equates this support to his career success which he’d never have achieved without the backing of his team.

Similarly, he feels, a group of friends need to work together as a team to make sure the designated driver feels a part of the evening. So there is no temptation for her or him to down a swift pint/glass of wine and then risk the lives of everyone in the vehicle.

So we’d like to echo Nigel’s advice to make sure these (designated driver) heroes of the road are rewarded by either treating them to a meal or their soft drinks during the evening.

As we see it, the least you can do is say thank you after the evening so they feel appreciated. Then maybe those drivers who think that a pint or so doesn’t impair their driving ability might reconsider this, when driving, because you’ve made them realise that this matters to YOU, with safety in mind.

The alternative is to organise a taxi in advance of course.

Let’s make this festive season one to remember for all the right reasons in 2016.

road safety

How to make a safe car choice

stop-the-crashWe asked Thatcham Research, the UK’s only accredited crash testing centre, to tell us about their work because we wanted Club members to understand their safety-related choices when buying a new car. Which they kindly did for us, as follows.
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We all know we’re driving around in more protective cars than we were 10 years ago but there is still room for improvement in this critical area.

With a better understanding of how new cars are tested and the best safety options to consider, this knowledge will undoubtedly help motorists make a safer new car choice in future.

How does the EU test car safety?

Across the EU, independent organisations subject modern cars to rigorous safety testing which results in the award of a safety rating by Euro NCAP (the European New Car Assessment Programme).

All cars have to be tested in impartial conditions and Thatcham in Berkshire is the UK’s only accredited crash testing centre to carry out this important work.

Euro NCAP testing doesn’t just provide new car buyers with an overview of safety standards; it also sets future safety targets for vehicle manufacturers to aim for, ensuring that vehicle safety standards are continually improving for all even if they are only led by a few to begin with.

How are Thatcham tests conducted?

An extensive range of crash tests are conducted in a controlled environment including a track. These tests include frontal and side impact plus whiplash scenarios. Adult drivers and passengers are not the only consideration during testing; the impact on child occupants and pedestrians is also measured and influences the complex Euro NCAP rating.

Physical testing changes rapidly as modern vehicles evolve. For example, one of Thatcham Research’s most crucial roles is testing the new leading-edge technology that is designed to reduce the chances of an accident in the first place.

A good example here is the technology called ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) which plays an increasingly crucial role in the overall vehicle assessment. As vehicle safety standards rise, all manufacturers strive to keep up with the safety leaders here and to maintain their much coveted 5 star Euro NCAP rating.

To give you an idea of today’s Euro NCAP 5 star stated rating requirements, vehicles are expected to offer “Overall good performance in crash protection AND be well equipped with robust crash avoidance technology.”

What is crash avoidance technology?

One of the most important safety features to consider when buying a new car is the fitting of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) as an ADAS. In its most basic form, AEB monitors traffic ahead using sensors fitted to the vehicle and applies the brakes when the driver is distracted or unable to, reducing the chances of a front to rear accident by an impressive 38%.

With one in four accidents being a front to rear impact, the potential benefit of AEB is evident.

Despite the safety benefits and the relatively low cost to manufacturers of AEB, this Advanced Driver Assistance System is not as commonplace as you might expect. In fact, whilst 48% of new cars in the UK can be fitted with AEB, it is only included in 21% of them (2016 figures).

So, if you didn’t know about AEB or didn’t ask for this feature at the time of order, your new car will likely be delivered without the one safety feature most likely to keep you and your family accident free in this area.

Not only does AEB contribute towards a valuable 5 star safety rating today, it can also help reduce insurance costs. Choose a car with AEB fitted and you should expect a drop of around 3-5 insurance groups which is the equivalent to saving some 10% in motor premiums.

So it’s well worth choosing a car that either has AEB as standard or asking your dealership if this is an “option” you can have fitted pre-delivery.

Which cars have AEB options?

To find out if your current vehicle is AEB equipped, or to arm yourself with the information you need to ensure your next new car is as safe as it can be, you can check safety specifications, using Thatcham’s handy AEB checker.

You may also like to see how we conduct crash tests at Thatcham Research, where you can see exactly what a crash test dummy goes through.
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FOXY says: The Volvo XC90 includes AEB and leads the market with an award winning package of active and passive safety measures. This makes the Volvo XC90 Euro NCAP’s highest scoring car ever. Of particular note, Volvo Cars and the XC90 are all available at affinity discounts to Club members in 2017. Terms apply and Club members must have joined the Club a minimum of three months before becoming eligible for this offer.

road safety

Are you a distracted driver?

girl-phone-car-damageA new survey conducted by Exchange and Mart reveals that nearly 1 in 4 motorists admit to driving when distracted which is a known factor in too many road accidents.

So, they’ve developed an excellent ‘Distracted Driving’ website, during Road Safety Week, to draw motorists’ attention to this.

And we’re adding some simple tips based on our experiences to help motorists who might be affected by these distractions.

Distracted Driving – the Facts

In Great Britain there were over 185,000 road traffic injuries and fatalities during the year ending June 2016) and an estimated 139,000 could have been prevented if motorists had been less distracted behind the wheel.

Loss of concentration through tiredness, affecting driving ability, is the greatest cause of road accidents (62%) and the Exchange and Mart research confirms that nearly 1 in 4 motorists readily admit to regularly driving in these circumstances.

Jim Murray Jones, General Manager for Exchange and Mart explained that their idea of a Distracted Driving website is to encourage more people to make the Brake Pledge.

A new cause for concern is the tendency of some motorists to use their mobile phone whilst driving despite knowing this is illegal and carries a fine of £100 plus 3 penalty points. In the Exchange and Mart survey 9% of motorists said they used their mobile phone when driving, rising to a worrying 33% in the 18-24 years age bracket.

Another cause of driving accidents is ‘distractions outside the vehicle’ including the likes of eye-catching bill-board advertising and being nosy about other vehicles involved in road traffic accidents.

Regular Driving Distractions

When asked ‘Which of the following distractions are regular happenings?’ the number of reported incidents rose as did the average number of motorists of all ages to admit this.

In order of significance
+ 63% admitted to fiddling with the car radio/in-car entertainment or heating/air con
+ 40% were distracted by passengers (Mums know this all too well)
+ 36% adjusted seat belts, seat positioning and mirrors whilst behind the steering wheel
+ 35% ate and drank whilst driving.

Driver Distractions by Age Group

The following activities distracted one age group more than others as illustrated below.

Altering the car radio/in-car entertainment/heating/air con
Distracted 74% of 55-65 year olds

Eating and Drinking
Distracted 56% of 18-24 year olds

Lighting, smoking and extinguishing a cigarette
Distracted 56% of 65+ motorists

Vehicle Passengers (including children)
Distracted 53% of motorists aged 35-44 years

Loss of concentration through tiredness
Distracted 44% of responders aged 65+

Adjusting seatbelts, seat positioning and mirrors
Distracted 44% of 18-24 year olds

Mobile phone usage
Distracted 33% of 18-24 year olds

Looking at something outside, like advertisements or a road accident
Distracted 33% of 65+ drivers

Using external devices, such as Sat Nav or hands free equipment
Distracted 29% of 25-34 year olds

Tips to Counter Driver Distractions

If you recognise any of these signs, you are at risk of being distracted at the wheel.

These tips will help you stay safer whilst hopefully improving your driving concentration.

1 Commit to staying safer on our roads in future by signing the Brake Pledge.

2 Plan ahead. Always make sure your driver seat and mirrors are correctly positioned for maximum visibility and that any SatNav or info-tainment systems are correctly programmed for your journey BEFORE you set out.

3 Don’t drive if you’re too tired (and don’t have to). If you absolutely have to drive yet know you didn’t get a good enough night’s sleep, resort to strong coffee at the outset and regular stops for some fresh air, food and drink.

4 If travelling alone and feeling the need to concentrate, consider talking out loud, describing your car journey in the greatest of detail. Sounds mad but it works because you have to concentrate to do this well so you can’t be thinking about other things at the same time.

5 Put your mobile phone in the boot so you aren’t distracted by it when driving.

6 Suggest that older children assume responsibility for looking after younger children so you can concentrate on driving.

7 Remember that accidents are caused when drivers are being nosy about other road accidents. This might be human nature but it’s too dangerous for you to indulge in yet you need to be ultra alert to less savvy others.

8 If travelling with children you might involve them to help you spot the speed limit signs. This helps them prepare for safer driving too.

9 When driving on A or B roads why not play a driving game? The winner is doing precisely the lower speed limit when she/he enters a lower speed zone (as in leaving a 60mph speed limit and entering a 30mph zone). Think of this as a curtain – when you drive through this curtain into the lower speed zone you should be doing the new speed precisely… And you shouldn’t speed up until you pass through that curtain again, into a faster speed zone!!
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These are all things that hopefully will help you concentrate, stay alert and avoid the most common driving distractions.

FOXY

PS: Thank you to Brake and Exchange & Mart for reminding us about our driving vulnerabilities here.

Needless to say, if you would appreciate this sort of advice and support in future (or know a female who would) – to help you or them reduce motoring stress, save money, enjoy better services and become a better driver, you’ll find yourself in good company by joining The Club HERE.

Learning to Drive

Is our driving test failing young drivers?

learner_continentaltyresFour in ten new young drivers admit they are unsafe on the road and two thirds of parents agree with them according to a new report released today.

With a revised driving test planned and the theory test now 20 years old, 47 per cent of drivers aged 17 to 24 think that they are not being taught enough about road safety.

Road accidents are the biggest killer of young people and new research reveals 800,000 young motorists think that they have an inadequate level of road safety knowledge. 

The UK research of 1,000 motorists aged 17 to 24 and 1,000 parents of young drivers as part of Continental Vision Zero, a campaign that strives for improved road safety, found that 50 per cent of young motorists would not know where to start with basics like checking their tyres.

Less than half of young road users know what the legal tyre tread limit is and only one in five have no idea what solution, such as a spare tyre, they have available in an event of a puncture.

Mark Griffiths, safety expert at Continental Tyres, said: “Every day in the UK, around nine people die or are seriously injured from a road accident that involves a young car driver. It is vital for 17 to 24 year olds to receive adequate road safety information as they learn to drive, setting them up for a lifetime of safe motoring.”

Shortcomings in the practical driving test

Changes to the practical driving test following the recent consultation include increasing the time of independent driving to 20 minutes, following directions from a sat nav during independent driving, replacing manoeuvres such as reversing around a corner with more common moves such as parking in a bay and asking one of the two vehicle safety questions (e.g. how to use the rear heated screen) while driving.

But parents are also in need of road safety education yet there is no practical driving test or educational solution for them.

When asked about a tyre’s legal tread depth limit, parents were 30 per cent less likely than their children to know the correct answer – only three in ten parents knew it is 1.6mm.

Reflecting their driver failings, one in five young motorists don’t know how to open their car bonnet and a third have no idea how to top up their screen wash.

As agreed by young drivers, the top solutions for improving their safety and that of others are better education (70 per cent), more enforcement such as harsher penalties (38 per cent) and making routine safety checks a feature of the driving test (36 per cent).

FOXY

FOXY Lady Drivers Club can help motoring Mums and daughters who may be learning to drive with motoring related advice. When it comes to tyre safety we are particularly active. Why not consider joining us or buying Club membership including preferential car insurance for women from sister company FOXY Lady Insurance among other benefits?

Learning to Drive

Driving test gender issues

AA_driving school femaleProposals from the Department for Transport are intended to improve the number of learner drivers passing their driving test by making sure they’re properly prepared for this, including motorway driving experience as a new component, providing this is with an approved instructor.

So far, so good.

As things stand, 79% of new drivers are failing their first driving test. At £62 a time, this is an expensive exercise when you might need more than two attempts.

One measure the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is looking at is to levy a deposit which can be returned to the learner driver if they pass, encouraging them to take their test when they are ready.

I suspect the key word in that last sentence is ‘if’ as otherwise it would say ‘when’. This means that nobody who fails gets a refund of their driving lesson fee of course, it’s just that too many motorists are failing their first test by taking it too soon.

So is the test too hard? Are today’s learner drivers less able than we were? Or is it simply a case of there being too many wasted examination/test attempts preventing properly prepared drivers getting theirs when they’re ready?

Let’s see if we can unpick this and uncover anything new.

Facts and conjecture

1. Novice male drivers tend to be more confident than their female equivalent (at all ages).

2. Women are marginally better than men at the theory test (costing an extra £23).

3. Too many novice drivers apply for their test before they start their lessons.

4. Only one in five drivers pass their first driving test. That’s significant. I imagine these are likely to be a combination of the confident/dexterous males and the cautious (savvy?) females who wait longer to take their first test.

5. 113,066 male drivers were involved in accidents compared with 69,245 female drivers (2014 stats). And accidents involving young men ‘tend to be more catastrophic and to involve other people’ the AA confirms. Clearly novice drivers WILL have accidents so this gender imbalance looks like young men are driving too early ie without enough driver education?

6. Too many young drivers are clearly judged to be ready for their test before they are.

7. Some women think there is a gender bias here – to do with the gender of the examiner perhaps?

8. 80% of instructors are male (and probably a similar percentage of examiners) – this can be a fear factor/reassurance for many females.

9. There will be a fear factor of the practical test/examination itself.

NB: A gender difference is seen in schools where more boys tend to pass exams but more girls do better in the term/course work. Like the practical/theory driving test perhaps?

What’s to be done?

These are profound issues because of the safety implications, not just the cost.

If it were up to me I’d want to look at the following…

10. Allow/encourage young drivers to start learning to drive MUCH earlier, within a safe and secure environment. This is how you get the safety message through, by MORE driver education not LESS. Put it on the school curriculum even – this will save lives when combined with essential learning (and without any early ability to drive on public roads).

11. Look at test availability – is this improved if we stop speculative bookings? This needs to be more flexible.

12. Authorise ADI (Approved Driving Instructors) to confirm test readiness

13. Publish Driving Instructor pass rates – maybe some aren’t good enough?

14. Recruit more female instructors/examiners.

15. Consider restricting novice drivers (under 25) from carrying passengers (under 25) for 2 years after they pass the test??

16. Fit black boxes to cars novice drivers drive without exception (ie all insurers) and deal harshly/immediately with ‘red’ drives.

17. Review and follow up all young driver accidents with appropriate driver education.

Finally let’s discourage competitive gender headlines like this otherwise excellent article http://www.motoring.co.uk/car-news/men-beat-women-in-the-race-to-pass-their-driving-tests_67101. Because passing your driving test mustn’t be seen to be a race if this then means you kill someone because you passed before you could drive safely. There are no winners here, until we turn out demonstrably safer drivers onto our roads.

FOXY

PS: Needless to say, the motorway driving element of the test is welcome and long overdue. But more road deaths/serious accidents occur on rural roads…