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With Christmas approaching attitudes are now changing towards drinking and driving according to the AA (that’s Automobile Association not Alcoholics Anonymous) who carried out a survey amongst motorists and found that two thirds would notify the police if someone they knew drove under the influence of alcohol. There is also likely to be a change in European law soon following Read more »

Most of us are aware that talking on a hand held mobile phone whilst driving is illegal as is sending text messages but a district judge ruling in a recent case took the issue of using a mobile phone whilst driving one step further when a driver was caught switching off the alarm on his phone. The judge ruled that the act of switching off the alarm on the phone constituted Read more »

You may have noticed the latest campaign to encourage motorists to use seat belts, 40 years after Jimmy Saville’s Clunk Click campaign. Whilst I find it amazing that people have to be reminded to do this every trip it’s worth mentioning that if all drivers and passengers belted up on every trip one life would be saved each day! By Graham Hill

Since the introduction of free movement throughout Europe it has become possible for drivers to hold two driving licences at the same time, one from his country of origin and another, quite legally, issued in the country in which he now resides. This has led to a situation whereby a driver is convicted of an offence following which his Read more »

The Health & Safety Act 2008, which increases penalties for those who break health and safety laws, has received its royal assent. The act raises the maximum penalty from £5,000 to £20,000 and the range of offences for which an individual can be imprisoned has also been broadened. I will hopefully be able to bring you more information over the next few weeks. Don’t forget that health and safety at work extends to vehicles used for company business. By Graham Hill

Insurance giant Norwich Union has warned businesses with fleet insurance policies to avoid the practice known as ‘Fronting’. This practice allows people who are not directly connected to the company to drive under its insurance. Mike Smith of NU said ‘Fronting in most instances, will invalidate the company insurance policy, leaving the business to pay for any damage to their vehicle. Also if any other driver is involved in an accident, while the insurer will be obliged to meet any liability cost, they can seek recovery of any such payments from the policyholder.’ By Graham Hill

There are calls to introduce a new law against those staging accidents and making insurance claims, often making claims for injuries to passengers not in the car at the time of the accident. Fraudsters are hiring cars, finding lone drivers, normally women – getting in front of them and slamming on their brakes causing an accident. They sometimes even get cash from the other driver for damage caused to the hire car. Fears that this is reaching Read more »

Impersonators who sit driving tests for others have been warned that if caught, they face tougher sentences. The driving standards agency issued the warning following the sentencing of Palwinder Singh Johal at Oxford Crown Court to two years in jail and a recommended deportation notice on completion of his sentence. By Graham Hill

Autoglass has warned that many replacement windscreens could have been avoided if drivers acted more quickly when their screens suffered a chip as chips will nearly always become a crack. A straight forward chip repair takes about 20 minutes compared to nearly 2 hours for a replacement screen. The cost of windscreen replacement is rising rapidly due to the complexity of the glass used and the skill and Read more »

I certainly notice less drivers using mobile phones whilst driving, possibly as a result of more prosecutions and fines, but we now see local authorities turning more of their attention to smokers in company vehicles. Whilst some issue warnings many are starting to issue more £30 penalties. A recent case saw a self employed painter and decorator, Gordon Williams fined £30 by his local council for smoking in his van, even though it is privately owned and he wasn’t working at the time. Read more »