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The following article illustrates why branding on vans could void their insurance but I’ve included the article for all to read because it could equally apply to doing similar to your car.

Van operators are being urged to check vehicle signage or branding is recorded as a modification on their insurance policy or risk voiding their cover.

Insurance comparison website Quotezone.co.uk says many van operators are unaware that their van’s branding falls into the modification category on current policies, alongside items such as spoilers and alloy wheels.

Drivers need to keep their insurance provider up to speed with any modifications, including newly added branding or signage, because those modifications can sometimes change the van’s risk profile, it says.

Signage or branding on a van, for example, might increase the risk of a break-in if thieves think valuable equipment or tools might be stored in the vehicle.

In addition, if the vehicle is ever involved in an accident the cost of repairing or replacing the signage might increase the overall cost of repairing the van.

The insurance comparison website advises van owners to make sure forms are correctly answered when taking out a new policy, inform their existing provider if signage or a vehicle wrap is added after the policy was taken out, and if in doubt ask the provider.

Greg Wilson, founder of Quotezone.co.uk, said: “It’s worth checking how their insurer views any branding on the vehicle to ensure they’re correctly declaring everything they’re required to declare.”

Making sure the policy is always accurate ensures drivers are protected should they need to make a claim, added Quotezone.co.uk.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Orders for diesel and petrol cars at Zenith in June were surpassed by those for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) for the first time.

The top 10 FN50 leasing and fleet management company says that pure electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for more than half (54%) of orders in June, compared to almost a third (32%) in the same month last year.

Over the past 12 months, Zenith reports that 41% of orders were for BEVs.

Demand for electric vans also increased in June to account for 69% of van orders compared to 1% in June 2020. Over the past 12 months, demand for fully electric vans has built to account for almost one in three van orders.

Ian Hughes, CEO, car and van division at Zenith, says orders had increased as the wider economy reopens. “In June, year-on-year total car orders almost doubled and, we have seen an almost nine-fold increase in total van orders as customers invest in fleet and fast-track their journey to net zero through the adoption of new technologies,” he added.

“Company car and salary sacrifice car scheme drivers continue to be attracted to the significant benefit-in-kind tax savings that can be made when choosing an EV, the ever-growing choice in vehicles and confidence in the charging infrastructure.”

Zenith says that salary sacrifice is helping company car drivers to transition to BEVs. In one scheme, 85% of orders have been for BEVs, with the remaining 15% for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

SAL SAC HELPS NEGATE GREY FLEET

Fleet Evolution reports that, with more employees buying used cars to avoid public transport on the commute, salary sacrifice could help alleviate a potential growing grey fleet issue.

Andrew Leech, managing director at Fleet Evolution which was one of the early introducers of EV salary sacrifice schemes, says that salary sacrifice car scheme offers employees a number of benefits.

Typically, all maintenance, road tax, business insurance and breakdown cover costs are included within the monthly cost, which is deducted from the employee’s gross salary. This creates savings in income tax and National Insurance Contributions which can be significant.

While benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax is payable on the car provided, if employees select EVs with zero emissions they benefit from a tax rate of just 1% in the current tax year.

Employers, as a result, see monthly savings in NIC and VAT, as well providing employees with clean, fully maintained vehicles which helps manage their grey fleet risk.

Leech continued: “We are currently seeing that 97% of our forward orders through our salary sacrifice car schemes are battery electric or plug-in electric hybrids.

“Customers are realising the benefits of offering employees, who would not normally qualify under the company car scheme, access to low cost, low emission EVs.

“Our figures show that an electric car which travels 10,000 miles a year has transport costs of under £20 per month. And to show how cost effective EVs can be, a customer at automotive components manufacturer, Unipres, was able to travel 31,000 miles at just £320 per annum in electricity charges, which is a huge saving over conventional motoring costs.”

He added: “For employees who may be feeling under financial pressure, and who also may not want to risk public transport when they return to work, a salary sacrifice electric car scheme could be the prefect answer.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

New car sales in the UK were down by more than 16% in June and down by almost 27% in the first half of the year, when compared with averages from the previous decade.

Fleet and business registrations were a combined 97,413 units for the month, more than a third up (34%) on the same month last year, when the UK began to emerge from the first pandemic lockdown and showrooms in England opened up at the beginning of the month.

Year-to-date fleet and business registrations now stand at 499,275 units, a 47% uplift on the first six months of 2020 (338,918 units), according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Combined, battery electric (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) accounted for 17% of new vehicles sold (31,981 units), including retail sales. BEVs accounted for more than one in 10 registrations (10.7%).

PHEV uptake, however, continued to grow faster than BEV uptake for the third month running.

Meryem Brassington, electrification propositions lead at Lex Autolease, said: “Momentum is beginning to build along the road to recovery from the pandemic, but today’s half-year figures still represent a drop on pre-Covid levels, indicating that the car industry isn’t out of the woods just yet.

“We’ll no doubt see the impact of vehicle supply issues and semi-conductor shortages unfold in the coming months, but if we’re serious about leading the EV charge then sustained investment from policymakers to accelerate the UK’s electrification plans has to stay at the top of the agenda.”

All vehicle sizes – bar executive and multi-purpose – saw growth in June, with the strongest growth seen in the mini segment, which had been relatively weak for several months. Superminis were the most popular car class, accounting for 34% of registrations, followed by lower medium (27%) and dual purpose (24%).

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “With the final phases of the UK’s vaccine rollout well underway and confidence increasing, the automotive sector is now battling against a ‘long Covid’ of vehicle supply challenges.

“The semiconductor shortages arising from Covid-constrained output globally are affecting vehicle production, disrupting supply on certain models and restricting the automotive recovery. However, rebuilding for the next decade is now well underway with investment in local battery production beginning and a raft of new electrified models in showrooms.

“With the end of domestic restrictions later this month looking more likely, business and consumer optimism should improve further, fuelling increased spending, especially as the industry looks towards September and advanced orders for the next plate change.”

Every car- and van-maker is being impacted by the computer chip crisis, with some delivery times for cars lengthening from three to six months, and many new vans not expected to be delivered until 2022.

EVs becoming ‘increasingly mainstream’

Jon Lawes, managing director of Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, says that the latest figures from the SMMT “unequivocally” demonstrate that BEVs are now an “increasingly mainstream” option for motorists.

“We’ve seen this sustained uptake in EVs first-hand, with HCVS seeing a 368% increase in EVs across our fleet in the last financial year – a remarkable figure during the lowest year of new car registrations since 1992,” he said.

“EVs will increasingly become front of mind as consumers and businesses look to replace their vehicles in the coming years and ensuring there are viable options in place for all lifestyles and budgets is vital to future-proof the industry as the 2030 ICE ban approaches.”

Richard Peberdy, UK head of automotive at KPMG UK, highlighted how the supply and demand imbalance has created the unusual situation of used cars rising in value, rather than depreciating.

However, he said: “Recovering fleet sales will eventually replenish the used car market and clip inflation, following 18 months of stifled investment.”

Meanwhile, Jamie Hamilton, automotive director and head of electric vehicles at Deloitte, echoed the SMMT’s concerns over the semiconductor shortage and its impact on UK new car sales.

“The ongoing global semi-conductor shortage has had a direct impact on consumers with manufacturers unable to fulfil orders in a timely manner, especially on the less popular models they have had to deprioritise,” he said.

“The ripple effect of this shortage has seen unusual activity in the used car market. Demand is high, but the limited availability of new cars means that there are even fewer used cars coming onto the market. As a result, prices have shot up. In an attempt to secure stock, some dealers have looked beyond the auction houses, turning their attentions to private sellers.

“Unfortunately, there is little respite for the industry, with the semi-conductor shortage expected to continue causing issues throughout the rest of the year and maybe even into 2022.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Used car trade values are continuing an “unparalleled shift upwards”, according to Cap HPI.

The data provider’s daily Live trade values show that, on average, trade prices for used cars have increased by £1,700 or 13.5% in the last three months.

Younger cars, up to one-year old, have seen rises of £2,500 in the same period.

In June alone, the average used car price was up 4.8%.

“Consumer demand has remained very strong in June, despite half-term, great weather, and Euro 2020 to distract people.

“With stock-turn high, this has led to retailers requiring a constant supply of cars to replenish their forecourts,” said Derren Martin, head of valuations at Cap HPI.

“Well-documented new car supply issues resulting from several component shortages, have led to fewer fleet returns and part exchanges. This has caused demand to outweigh supply for the third month running,” he added.

Every sector and fuel-type has seen values increase in May. Examples of some volume models from across various sectors that have increased in value at the 3-year, 60,000-mile point are Ford Fiesta (+6% or £500), BMW 1-Series Diesel (+7% or £850), Hyundai Tucson (+10% or £1,150) and Vauxhall Zafira (+9% or £750).

Martin concluded that even if demand dips from its current levels, supply is still going to be lower than normal for some time yet.

He said: “With new cars being in such short supply and likely to continue to be so for at least the next quarter, there is no bow wave of fleet returns coming through. One million less cars have been registered than would reasonably have been forecast over the last 18 months. These cars are lost to the used car market. It will be a while before supply outweighs demand again.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

New tyre label regulations from the EU are expected to be introduced in the UK before the end of the year.

The new rules, which are designed to improve awareness of tyre characteristics, were introduced in Ireland and Northern Ireland on May 1.

The new EU tyre label must be applied to heavy-duty commercial vehicle tyres including trucks and buses (Class C3) with all tyre suppliers – including commercial vehicle suppliers – now required to inform buyers of the label values during the sales process.

It now rates wet braking distances and fuel efficiency from A to E, with A being the best performing, and ranks external noise of the tyre from A to C, with A the quietest.

It also includes winter performance data, via the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMS) symbol, which determines whether a tyre meets tough snow performance requirements, as stipulated when driving across many European countries during colder seasons.

For C1 and C2 tyres, for cars and vans respectively, those previously in class E for fuel efficiency and wet grip will now be assigned to Class D which was previously empty, while those formerly in classes F and G will be assigned to class E. This makes the label clearer and easier to interpret.

Another addition to the EU tyre label is the stipulation that it must include a unique QR code, both on the on actual label and in the tyre manufacturers’ information that links the tyre to the European Product Database for Energy Labelling (EPREL) database, where additional tyre label information can be obtained.

As it stands, the regulation underpinning the new EU tyre labels only applies to new tyres, with revised legislation relating to retread tyres expected in 2023.

Importantly for commercial vehicle operators, mileage performance is not yet incorporated into the label, on the basis that suitable test methods are not currently available.

The label values are also based on the tyre’s performance when new and do not take into account the performance characteristics of the tyre across its lifetime.

Tony Stapleton, head of group fleet sales at Continental Tyres, said: “The new EU tyre label is designed to help people choose safer, more fuel-efficient tyres, factors which are vitally important whether you drive a car, a van or are responsible for choosing tyres for a commercial vehicle fleet.

 “However commercial vehicle customers should view the labelling as just one part of their discussions with tyre suppliers, to ensure performance factors not included in the labelling, such as the opposing requirements of mileage and durability, are factored into their choice.

Most fleets need to make sure their tyres offer a balance between these contrasting drivers, and this will greatly differ fleet to fleet depending on the type of operation and vehicles.

“For example, for construction and waste disposal fleets, tyre durability is critical, with fuel efficiency taking a secondary role, whereas in general haulage such as retail distribution, the fuel efficiency capabilities of a tyre will likely play a far greater role.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Public Accounts Committee accuses Government of having no “clear, published plan” on how the UK will switch to an electric car future…

The viability of the Government’s plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 has been called into question by a group of MPs, who say the transition represents a “huge challenge” for the country, and that the departments responsible for it have “lacked a clear, published plan” to set out how it will happen.

The criticism comes from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which evaluates the effectiveness and value of Government proposals and services. The PAC is made up of 15 MPs, eight of whom are Conservatives, although the chair is Labour’s Meg Hillier.

The PAC report says that although the Government has set “ambitious targets” for the transition, there are still big hurdles to overcome, including increasing the uptake of electric cars among buyers, lowering their cost, and upgrading the UK’s charging network.

Under current plans, the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2030, albeit with some hybrid cars given a stay of execution until 2035. So far in 2021, electric cars have accounted for 7.2% of sales – up from 4% across the same period in 2020.

Below, we look at each of the issues raised in the report, and what’s being done to address them.

Lowering the cost of electric cars

The cost of buying an electric car is one of the biggest issues, with the committee saying it is “not persuaded that the upfront costs are low enough for many”, and pointing out that there are currently only 13 electric car models costing less than £30,000. Any fully electric car which costs less than £35,000 qualifies for the Government’s plug-in car grant, currently worth £2500.

The plug-in car grant is expected to last until at least 2023, when funding allocated for the scheme in 2020 is due to run out. To date, the grant scheme has provided more than £1 billion to electric vehicle drivers.

The cheapest electric car you can buy currently is the Seat Mii, which costs from £22,800 before the grant is factored in.

A recent What Car? survey of more than 10,000 in-market buyers showed that one-in-five were considering an electric car as their next purchase – a significant rise compared with the 8% who answered the same way in 2019.

In our survey, 31% of respondents said the biggest concern they had over going electric was range, followed by charging (18%).

Lowering the cost of charging

The PAC report says that price differences between charging using a public charging network and charging at home “need to be addressed”, as well as the cost of replacing electric car batteries. Indeed, a National Audit Office report suggests that charging at home can cost up to 78% less than relying on the public charging network.

A recent What Car? investigation found that public charging prices vary wildly, with it costing as little as £7.49 and as much as £17.46 to charge a Renault Zoe electric hatchback to 80% of capacity, depending on location, associated fees and the type of charger used.

Similarly, while the Department for Transport estimates that, on average, it costs around 1p per mile to run an electric car (compared with around 10p per mile to run a petrol or diesel) our real-world tests show that this is only the case when you’re charging at home.

In reality, we found that an electric car can cost up to 9p per mile when all of the fees associated with public charging are taken into account, while 13p per mile is realistic for a petrol car, and 11p per mile for a diesel car.

In its evidence to the PAC, the Department for Transport said that it expects “more competition in the market and innovation which may benefit customers in terms of the price paid for electricity”.

The department also suggested that some electric cars might act as energy storage devices for smart homes, and feed energy back into the grid at peak times, thus reducing energy costs.

Increasing the availability of charging points

The PAC report says that although there has been progress made to increase the number of charging points available in the UK, “take-up has been greatest where there are high levels of traffic, charge-points and affluence.”

The report notes that rural areas are in danger of getting “left behind during this transition” if they too don’t see an expansion of their local charging networks. It should also be noted that the take-up among local authorities to support the growth of on-street residential charge points has been poor, with the National Audit Office estimating that almost a third of the £8.5 million set aside has not been used.

The report says: “We are not convinced that Government has sufficiently thought through how the charging infrastructure will expand at the pace required to meet the ambitious timetable to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles.”

It says that the Department for Transport has made a number of assumptions around the type of journeys most drivers are making, noting that, according to those assumptions, 99% of journeys are less than 100 miles, the vast majority of electric car charging is done at home and overnight, and that people will use public charging stations to top up during longer trips.

Despite those assumptions, the report says there is no estimate for how many charging points the country will need to keep up with the increase in electric cars. Data from the English Housing Survey also notes that 33% of households in England do not have access to off-street parking, so could not charge at home easily.

The PAC report notes that, while the Government has pledged to offer six rapid charging points at every UK motorway service station by 2023, it has “not focused much attention on charging for people that do not have off-street parking”.

According to Zapmap, which lists every public charging station in the country, there are currently 23,873 charging points at 15,254 locations across the UK. The biggest provider of publicly available charging points is Source London, which has a market share of 25.8%, followed by Ubitricity and Pod Point, with shares of 14.7% and 12.1% respectively.

Maintenance and energy costs

Other issues raised in the PAC report include the need to re-train dealership and independent garage technicians to work on and repair electric cars, especially as these vehicles age, and a safeguarding of the National Grid to cope with an increased demand for energy.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy estimates that the increased demand for electric cars will equate to a 2% increase in energy bills for households by 2030, although this is money that you would otherwise spend on filling up with petrol or diesel.

What has the reaction been?

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which represents the views of the motor industry to Government, said: “The automotive industry shares the Government’s ambition for an electric revolution, a transformation that has already begun.

However, as the Public Accounts Committee has made clear, we need a comprehensive and holistic plan to get us there in time.

“That plan must convince consumers to make the switch, it must provide the incentives that make electric cars affordable for all, and it must ensure recharging is as easy as refuelling – which means a massive and rapid rollout of infrastructure nationwide.”

When asked for comment, a Department for Transport spokesperson told What Car?: “We’ve got a highly ambitious and world-leading approach to increasing the uptake of zero emission cars, and the progress we’re making in this area will help us to meet our targets.

“Already, we’re investing £2.8 billion in helping industry and drivers make the switch – and will continue our work to install thousands of charge points and boost the development of new technologies to meet our goals.”

The reaction to the ban from buyers has been negative, with a What Car? survey conducted in November of last year – soon after the proposal was announced – revealing that 59% of buyers disagreed with the principle behind the ban, while 29% said they did not understand which cars would still be allowed to be on sale after 2030.  By Graham Hill thanks to What Car?

A potential four million drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel at some point, a new study has revealed.

Issued by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, the findings show that one in ten of the 1,000 motorists surveyed admitted to momentarily closing their eyes because they were so tired.

In addition, more than half of drivers also said that they were very concerned about fatigue when driving long distances. Applied to the more than 40 million licence holders registered in the UK, this equates to more than 20 million drivers.

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said: “Fatigue behind the wheel is a very serious problem, perhaps more concerning than previously thought of.

“It is shocking to think a potential four million drivers have closed their eyes behind the wheel because they were so tired, even if it was just for a short time. The potential carnage that could result from even one accident doesn’t bear thinking about.”

Other areas of the research highlighted further issues, with one in ten drivers admitting that they had hit the rumble strip of a road, while four in ten had turned down the heating or lowered the windows in order to prevent themselves from feeling tired.

Greig added: “Driving a long distance needs pre-planning to ensure there are plenty of available rest places and to make sure there’s enough time to complete the journey if delays are encountered.

Never drive for longer than two hours without a break and take particular care if driving when you would normally be asleep. This is even more important as the country reopens after the pandemic and not all facilities may be available yet.

“Drivers can then concentrate on staying alert behind the wheel rather than staving off tiredness by trying to reach their end destination without adequate rest breaks.” By Graham Hill thanks to Yahoo News

Some drivers have been unable to get on the road due to 1.4 million DVLA applications waiting to be processed

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is faced with a “catastrophic” backlog of paper applications due to social-distancing rules, and industrial action linked to Covid-19.

Strikes by the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) have been staged in response to what it calls “unsafe” working conditions, contributing to the mass of unprocessed applications.

More than 643 of the DVLA’s 6,000-strong workforce are reported to have had Covid, although the organisation says it has followed Government advice at every stage.

Mark Serwotka, head of the PCS, told the BBC that the backlog of 1.4 million cases could have been avoided if staff were allowed to work from home, calling it a “stain” on the reputation of the civil service: “In 21 years, I have never encountered the level of incompetence and mismanagement that is on display at the DVLA in Swansea.”

“We believe that if the department of work and pensions can deal with three million universal credit claims, if HMRC can deliver furlough scheme, if we have workers in the home office ministry of justice, devolved nations, working from home handling in some cases much more secure data so could the DVLA.”

The head of the PCS also said that the actions of the DVLA have put its workers at a significant health risk, with more than 643 confirmed Covid cases and one fatality.

However, chief executive of the DVLA Julie Leonard has denied this, claiming that staff safety has been prioritized during the pandemic:

“We have taken staff safety incredibly seriously at every point in this. Had it been easy to have more people working at home, we would have done it. Staff safety really has come first.”

A provisional deal between the DVLA and PCS recently fell through without explanation, according to Serwotka, who said: “Targeted action will continue at the DVLA unless the original deal, which both parties had agreed in principle, is back on the table.”

The DVLA has faced major criticism for some time, with some motorists left unable to drive for months, and others complaining of unreturned documents. The DVLA receives around 60,000 pieces of mail daily, but says online operations – which can be used for most of its services – are unaffected. Drivers with medical conditions often have to rely on physical documents, though, while medical professionals’ letters often required by the DVLA are also subject to delays. 

The DVLA said: “There are significant delays in processing paper applications and contacting us due to ongoing industrial action and social-distancing requirements.

Paper applications are taking, on average, up to six weeks to process, but there may be longer delays for more complex transactions.”

The agency added the people can continue to drive after submitting an application, as long as they have not been instructed not to do so by a doctor or optician. It called the strike action “disappointing”, and said PCS is “targeting services that will have the greatest negative impact on the public, including some of the more vulnerable people in society”.  By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express.

Nearly one is seven vehicles that passed their MOT test last year should have failed, according to a new study.

Analysis of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA’s) MOT Compliance Survey (2019 – 2020) by What Car?, found 13.58% of vehicles that passed an MOT test should have failed.

A team of DVSA vehicle examiners retested a randomly selected sample of 1,671 vehicles, which had undergone an MOT test at test stations across the UK. It disagreed with the test outcomes in 16.82% of cases.

In 70.1% of cases, the DVSA found at least one defect which the MOT test station missed or had incorrectly recorded, while the DVSA experts disagreed with three or more defects in 56.5% of vehicles.

The DVSA examiners also felt that 3.23% of failures deemed to be worthy of a pass certificate.

Safety critical features such as the brakes and suspension were subject to the biggest discrepancy between the DVSA and MOT testers. Brakes had the highest number of misdiagnosed defects, at 17.74%, followed by the suspension (14.56%), tyres (13.22%), and lights, reflectors and electrical equipment (11.51%). 

Following its investigation, the DVSA issued 24 disciplinary action recordings and 179 advisory warning letters to the vehicle test sites it visited. Between them, they were responsible for 12.1% of all vehicles re-tested by the Government agency.

What Car? surveyed 1,425 used car buyers as part of its investigation, with 11.9% stating they knew of a local garage that has a reputation for passing cars for their MOT. For 76.8% of buyers, a prospective car’s MOT record was either ‘very important’ or ‘important’ when deciding on whether to buy.

Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?, said: “Our investigation has shown the significant differences between the DVSA’s own testing standards and those upheld by some in the industry. This poses a serious concern, with potentially hazardous vehicles being allowed to remain on the road, putting their drivers and other road users at risk. It also complicates matters for used buyers who often rely on a vehicle’s MOT history as an indicator for a car’s safety and reliability.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

All drivers and especially fleet operators are being advised to proactively protect their vehicles and drivers, following a crash for cash report from the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB).

SmartDrive Systems, a provider of in-vehicle camera systems, says the report must act as an urgent wake up call to any operators not using camera footage as part of their accident management process.

The IFB report identifies more than 170,000 insurance claims potentially linked to cash for crash gangs, out of 2.7m claims made between October 2019 and December 2020.

“A number of our fleet customers, particularly those operating vans on last mile delivery, have found themselves particular targets of this criminal behaviour,” said Penny Brooks, managing director of SmartDrive Systems.

“The term ‘fraud’ doesn’t begin to capture the nature of crash for cash offence,” she added. “These people are weaponising vehicles and attacking commercial vehicle drivers. This is physically dangerous; it is highly stressful and it can shatter a driver’s confidence. Not to mention the cost to the fleet operator. “

Crash for cash scams can range from paper-based fabrications, or vehicles being damaged behind closed doors, through to those where collisions are being caused by fraudsters.

IFB investigations have found single gangs can be behind thousands of orchestrated collisions in some areas, with the combined value of their fraudulent claims running into the millions.

The Midlands, North West and London were highlighted as particular problem areas by the IFB, with Birmingham named the most dangerous city in the UK for collision scams.

A proactive video solution can provide protection against these scams. The SmartDrive system captures 10 seconds of footage before and after a collision, giving an unarguable narrative. The driver can also manually activate the cameras for recording events or self-protection.

Footage is offloaded via the cellular network in near real time, preserving the data and speeding First Notification of Loss (FNOL), claim process and claim dismissal.

Brooks said: “We have helped our customers dismiss literally thousands of fraudulent cash for crash claims this way and save hundreds of thousands of pounds.

“If all commercial vehicles had a suitable camera system, we could drive these criminals off the road, for good. Our drivers are a precious resource and we should do all we can to protect them.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News