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7.2 Million
Motorists Choke Britain’s Roads
EVERY day up to 7 million cars congest our roads unnecessarily as
25% of British motorists jump behind the wheel for a journey that
they could easily walk instead, a new survey has revealed. And
amongst the Brits who use a car to travel to work, 25% admit that
this drive takes less than 5 minutes, another short journey that
could easily be completed on foot.
The findings are part of Prudential’s Big British Car Survey, which
also reveals that 40% of British motorists feel that there is a
congestion problem in the UK, and a third deliberately adjust their
working day, to arrive early or leave late, in a bid to avoid rush
hour traffic.
However, showing what a patient and car-loving nation the Brits
really are, despite spending on average 2.5 years of their lives in
their cars, 80% motorists don’t actually believe they spend too much
time behind the wheel.
Philip Southgate from Prudential Car Insurance comments:-
“Brits are unsurprisingly wedded to their cars. Driving is
enjoyable, makes us feel in control and sometimes it seems the only
practical way to travel. Today’s lifestyles are fast-paced and we
always seem to be searching for the quickest way to get from A to B.
However, a simple change in the way we use our cars could make a
significant difference to everyone. Cutting out those super short
car journeys whenever possible would cut down traffic and help the
environment. If all the commuters who have a 5 minute drive to work
left the car at home and walked to work just once a week, on average
there could still be 1.4 million fewer cars on the road each day.
And, you never know, they may even find they get there quicker.”
Roger Draper, Chief Executive of Sport England said:- “Leaving
the car and walking for those short journeys it is an ideal way to
get active and improve your health. At Sport England we have
recently launched the Everyday Sport campaign which encourages
people to incorporate exercise into their daily lives. Whether it’s
taking the stairs instead of the lift, going for a kickabout with
your mates or parking the car and pounding the pavement instead - it
all counts.”
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Fines on uninsured
drivers are not hard enough!
DRAFT new powers announced by the Government this week to clamp
and fine uninsured drivers are not hard enough on offenders
according to a new poll from
www.motorinsurance.co.uk.
Drivers are clearly sick and tired of subsidising the estimated
1.2 million uninsured, which adds around £30 to the average
annual £385 insurance bill for some 38 million honest British
motorists. 44% of respondents consider that if the legislation
is to be successful, the fine needs to reflect the insurance
premium they should have paid. The current fixed penalty notice
for driving uninsured is half the average insurance premium at
just £200. If the fine reflected the premium this could run into
hundreds, or in some cases, thousands of pounds.
Under the draft new laws announced this week by the Department
for Constitutional Affairs, it will continue to be illegal to
own a car without insurance. Most recent statistics show that
the CPS made 573,000 prosecutions in just 1 year. However, this
needs to be more easily enforced, so it is proposed that the
police will match insurance company records (Motor Insurance
Database), with DVLA records and identify cars which are being
driven without insurance. Uninsured drivers could have their
cars impounded, be stopped at police road-side checks, and
receive a fixed penalty notice. If these are ignored, the
offenders could face prosecution in a Magistrates’ Court.
A further 31% drivers responding to the poll were completely in
favour of the new law, thinking it will reduce accidents and
could lower their insurance premiums. While not against the
proposals, just 8% thought police time would be better spent on
more important matters such as solving murders and arresting
thugs. 17% consider the law to be an erosion of personal
privacy, and believe the police should not have access to their
insurance records. Recent figures show that the Motor
Insurance Bureau, funded by insurance premiums, has paid out
£228 million for claims made as a result of uninsured or
hit-and-run driving.
Andrew Dunkerley, Marketing Director of motorinsurance.co.uk,
was surprised by the intensity of the response:-
“British drivers are obviously fed up with footing the bill for
uninsured drivers. It will add hundreds of pounds to the cost of
motoring during their lifetime of driving, and leaves thousands
of honest motorists facing huge repair bills for accidents
caused by uninsured drivers, which has to be claimed through the
Motor Insurance Bureau. If the legislation goes ahead it will be
important for the fines to be put to good use, compensating the
people impacted by uninsured drivers, reducing insurance costs
and improving the nation’s road safety. Uninsured fines
should deter and penalise offenders, with the proposed £200
fixed penalty notice being woefully below the annual cost of
insurance. On a case by case basis the fine should reflect the
crime, and for persistent offenders could be up to 3 times the
annual cost of insurance.
Research and surveys have often found
that uninsured drivers are more likely to be involved in road
traffic accidents, to be non-compliant with other road traffic
requirements and potentially be involved in other criminal
activity. We have a chance to help cross reference systems to
ensure the law-abiding driver in future is not penalised.”
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