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The Road Vehicles Registration and Licensing (Amendment) Regulations 2017 came into force on May 6, 2017 and drivers abroad and fleet operators, who may have either ignored them or were unaware of them would be wise to take note of them.

 

As we prepare to exit the EU it is likely we will see the Europeans take a tougher position when UK drivers are found to commit motoring offences.

 

The regulations require the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to provide details of the registered keeper of vehicles alleged to have been involved in certain motoring offences across the EU.

 

The details include name, address and date of birth; or legal status if the keeper is not an individual, as well as the make/model and chassis number of the relevant vehicle.

 

The alleged offences include failure to stop at a red light, drink-driving or driving under the influence of drugs, speeding and using a mobile phone while driving.

 

Cross-border EU prosecutions for road offences have been unusual, rare even, but these regulations may change that situation for the better from a road safety point of view.

 

Of course, for employers, there’s the risk that they have simply added another layer of bureaucracy to operations, as well as opening employees to the risk of a foreign prosecution for offences they may deny having committed.

 

In real terms, there are some business considerations for those with a European reach. One of these could be the requirement to engage with foreign justice systems – language barriers and cultural differences may present a challenge, for example.

 

Larger operators may have been able to task in-house legal teams with managing this role, but smaller players may need to find external support – and, of course, this will come at a cost.

 

Another consideration is the interplay between employee relations and the regulations.

 

Businesses will need to ensure their employment contracts and handbooks are up to date, and that their procedures for managing employees accused/convicted of criminal offences abroad are adequate.

 

Operators should also consider their position with regards to supporting (or otherwise) accused employees with legal assistance – especially if a guilty verdict would have a significant impact on the employee’s ability to continue in their role.

 

For those travelling abroad in their own cars, it is important to have insurance cover in the case of a foreign prosecution. Not all insurance policies, even with legal cover, will defend the insured whilst abroad. Check with your insurer. By Graham Hill with thanks to Fleet News.

According to Fleet News, fleets are being urged to consider drug testing their drivers, as some police forces report arrests for drug-driving have surpassed drink-driving for the first time.

 

Nationally, the number of drug-driving prosecutions almost doubled last year, with a record 10,215 cases in England and Wales, compared with 5,368 in 2017. Some 60,000 drivers failed roadside breath tests in 2016, according to the most recent Ministry of Justice data available.

 

However, more recent statistics released by some individual forces show a worrying trend, with cannabis and cocaine now more prevalent than alcohol in roadside tests.

 

The latest data released by Suffolk Police, for example, shows that the number of arrests for drug-driving surpassed the number of drink-drive arrests for the first time in the county.

 

The 672 drug-driving arrests in 2018/19 represented a 20% increase on the previous 12 months, while drink-driving increased by 11.3% to 652 arrests.

 

Assistant chief constable Simon Megicks said: “This year is the first time our drug-drive numbers are in excess of drink-drive ones.”

 

It was a similar story in Norfolk, where more drug-drivers were caught during its Christmas drink-drive campaign for the first time.

 

More than 600 people were arrested after failing a roadside drug test in the county last year, just four years earlier 37 were arrested on suspicion of drug-driving.

 

Meanwhile, early results from the annual drink- and drug-driving summer campaigns also show that, when used, roadside drug tests have a higher hit rate than breath tests for alcohol.

 

During Greater Manchester Police’s 14-day summer drink and drug campaign, it carried out 640 breath tests, with some 90 proving positive. That compared with 114 roadside drug tests, with 50 samples returning a positive reading for either cannabis or cocaine.

 

Figures from Cheshire Police, seen by Fleet News, show a huge increase in the detection of cannabis and cocaine after new legislation was introduced.

 

In 2014, before officers in Cheshire could perform roadside tests for cannabis or cocaine, there were 70 arrests. Four years later, in 2018, that had risen to 858.

 

It says cannabis and cocaine are the most prevalent drugs used by drug-drivers, with almost two-thirds (62%) testing positive for cannabis, 25% for cocaine and 13% testing positive for both substances.

 

More than half (62%) of positive tests were from drivers aged 30 years and below and an incredible 94% were male, much higher than the 78% for drink-driving.

 

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for roads policing, chief constable Anthony Bangham, said he was “concerned” to see the increase in the number of motorists testing positive for drugs.

 

He told Fleet News public perception of the issue needs to change.

 

“Drink-driving is considered socially unacceptable by the vast majority of the public, yet the emergence of drug-driving is perhaps not yet seen in the same way,” he said.

 

“Anyone driving under the influence of drink or drugs is a real danger to themselves and other road users.”

 

Four out of five respondents to a Fleet News poll appear to agree, believing drug-driving has become such a safety issue for fleets that they think employers should be routinely testing company car and van drivers.

 

The insurance industry is also taking note and urging fleets to ensure they have robust polices in place.

 

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) told Fleet News that, with the right information and the right policies, “fleet managers can help protect their drivers, other road users and their businesses”.

 

Laurenz Gerger, motor policy adviser at the ABI, explained: “All organisations can benefit from having formal drug and alcohol policies which clearly outline the consequences of alcohol or drug misuse at the workplace. Such a policy may include screening and testing.

 

“Commercial fleet insurers will work with their customers to develop solutions to reduce vulnerability and manage their road risk.”

 

Roadside drug testing

 

Higher detection rates have been attributed to the introduction of roadside drug testing and an overhaul of drug-driving laws.

 

Changes to the offence of drug-driving came into force in England and Wales from March 2015. New legislation made it illegal to drive with specified levels of certain drugs, including legal medication, in your system.

 

It had been a criminal offence, under section 4 Road Traffic Act 1988, to drive a motor vehicle while being unfit to do so as a result of drug consumption. However, the new rules meant a driver could be guilty of an offence of drug-driving even if their ability to drive is not impaired as a result of drug use.

 

Section 5A contained the new offence of driving with a concentration of a specified controlled drug above a specified limit, with Government taking a zero-tolerance approach to cannabis, for example.

 

The drugs specified in the regulations consisted of eight legal medications, including diazepam and morphine, and eight illegal drugs such as cannabis and cocaine.

 

Drivers convicted of an offence of drug-driving are automatically banned from driving for at least one year, and can face a fine of up to £5,000, up to six months in prison, or both.

 

Police forces have also had access to new drug-testing kits for use during roadside checks of suspected drivers.

 

D.Tec International provides police forces in England and Wales with its Drugwipe device, which uses saliva to test for cocaine and cannabis at the roadside.

 

The company also offers advice on corporate drug and alcohol policies and workplace testing on a range of drugs to mitigate a fleet’s exposure to risk.

 

Ean Lewin, managing director of D.Tec International, says drug-driving poses a “very significant” risk to fleet managers.

 

A recent sweep at a construction company returned a positive test for drugs for more than one-in-three drivers (38%) against an industry average of 15% and an average of 6% across all industries.

 

“It was a shocking result, but we’re catching drug-drivers on a daily basis,” said Lewin. “One of the forces told me that 50% of their drug-driving arrests were at-work drivers.”

 

Risk Management

 

There is no legal obligation for the fleet industry to adopt specific testing policies in the workplace, but companies do have a duty of care to maintain a safe working environment under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

 

Lewin advocates screening as part of the recruitment process, making an initial test part of a potential driver’s risk assessment and his company has been working with one of the country’s major insurers to help mitigate a fleet’s risk.

 

D.Tec International is a specialist partner of Aviva Risk Management Solutions (ARMS), with the insurer offering policyholders breathalysers, drug wipes, drug and alcohol awareness courses, as well as policy guidance.

 

Gill Milner, technical account manager for motor and liability at Aviva, explained: “These all contribute to creating and maintaining an environment with improved management of this risk.”

 

Aviva’s liability and motor risk consultants have been trained in drug and alcohol awareness, on how to recognise the general signs of drug use, and the affect that drugs and alcohol have on driving and work performance.

 

They are also trained in how to use breathalysers and drug wipes.

 

Milner said: “Improving the knowledge of our risk consultants and providing them with breathalysers and drug wipes enables a far more proactive discussion with customers, where we can illustrate the subject and share our knowledge with greater confidence.”

 

Introducing effective management of a robust drug and alcohol policy and screening, according to Milner, allows employers to “non-intrusively” check their safety-critical employees in a culture of openness and trust. This reduces the risk of any incident that may affect not only the organisation, but other employees, customers, suppliers and the wider public.

 

“By not addressing drug driving, there is a real risk that employers will fail in their legal duty of care for employees and others who may be affected by their activities,” she said.

 

Another large fleet insurer, Zurich, says impairment through drugs, whether prescribed or illegal, needs to be part of the consideration of the overall work-related road risk strategy.

 

“The risk needs to be assessed, appropriate interventions should be deployed and a monitor and review process should be introduced,” said Louise Kerrigan, casualty and motor team leader for risk engineering at Zurich.

 

“We would recommend introducing policies and procedures which include the provision of drug and alcohol testing for pre-employment, random, with cause and/or as a condition for access of employees or contractors to a site.

 

“Policies and processes should be risk-based and organisations typically find it beneficial to define a ‘safety critical employee’, which would include anyone who drives a vehicle for work.”

 

‘Growing fleet interest’

Milner reports growing interest from its fleet customers and is currently active in sectors including transport and distribution, construction, retail and leisure services.

 

“Discussing drugs and alcohol in the workplace with policyholders means we can assist in providing advice, listen to their concerns and offer a mix of solutions to tackle any issues they have identified,” she said.

 

“A number have already implemented drug and alcohol policies and screening. For some, the drug wipes offering was welcomed, as it is less intrusive than other screening methods and the drug and alcohol awareness training greatly increased their managers’ awareness to positively and proactively manage this subject.”

 

The road safety charity Brake had long argued for new drug driving laws before they were finally introduced in 2015.

 

It says organisations should have a comprehensive drug testing and reporting policy in place. This should require them to test all drivers for drugs at the pre-employment stage, at random thereafter, when there is a probable cause, post incident and as a condition for access of employees or contractors to a site.

 

“We’re appealing to all employers with staff who drive for work to treat this with the seriousness that it deserves and have the necessary driving policies and practices in place to ensure their drivers are always fit to drive,” said a spokesman.

 

“Employers using vehicles to do their business, no matter the size of their business, or the type of vehicle they use or who owns those vehicles, have a responsibility to manage the associated risks, for any related legal reason but also moral reasons to protect people from death and injury.”

 

By Graham Hill – thanks to Fleet News

In another report on the increased acceptance of electric vehicles, BP Chargemaster has announced that it has opened its first 150kW ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) chargers on a BP retail site.

 

The new 150kW chargers are able to provide ultra-fast charging to the latest and next generation of EVs, convenience that BP sees as essential to support the continued growth of the UK’s EV market.

 

It announced plans to roll out a new network of fast chargers just over a year ago following its £120 million acquisition of Chargemaster.

 

Two of these new chargers are now installed at BP’s retail site at Cranford near Heathrow airport, west of London and begin operating this week.

 

They are the first in a planned rollout of 400 ultra-fast chargers at BP sites across the UK by the end of 2021, with the network continuing to grow in line with new vehicle models arriving on the market that will be capable of ultra-fast charging.

 

David Newton, chief operating officer of BP Chargemaster, said: “We believe our establishment of a nationwide ultra-fast charging network will be transformative for the electric vehicle market in the UK.

 

“Working closely with global vehicle manufacturers, we are developing the solutions that electric vehicle drivers need to enable them to charge confidently and conveniently, wherever they are in the country.

 

“BP’s forecourts are ideal locations for this technology, which will provide an expected dwell time of 10-12 minutes, not dissimilar from the average of around seven minutes spent by drivers of petrol and diesel cars on a forecourt today.”

 

Formed in 2008, Chargemaster was acquired by BP in 2018 and renamed BP Chargemaster. It has continued to rapidly grow and expand its offers as the UK’s EV market has grown and evolved.

 

Today it operates Polar, with more than 7,000 public charge points, and provides a range of home, workplace and public charging solutions.

 

BP recently entered into an agreement with DiDi, the world’s leading mobile transportation platform, to develop EV charging infrastructure across China.

 

BP also continues to make venturing investments into innovative new companies in this space such as advanced battery technology firm StoreDot and PowerShare, the online platform for EV charging in China.

 

Tufan Erginbilgic, chief executive of BP’s Downstream business, said: “As the world of mobility evolves, BP is determined to be the fuel provider of choice whether drivers need electric charging or liquid fuels.

 

“BP Chargemaster continues to develop and is leading the way for our understanding of how we can best support and succeed in this fast-growing new market.”

 

He concluded: “Convenient and reliable ultra-fast charging will be critical in driving the wider adoption of electric vehicles in the UK.

 

“The combination of BP Chargemaster’s EV charging expertise, experience and customer base with BP’s retail sites across the UK is now allowing us to develop the UK’s first nationwide network of ultra-fast chargers.”  By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

According to Fleet News police have caught scores of dangerous drivers on the M1 using Highways England’s unmarked HGV ‘supercabs’ in a week-long operation.

 

The supercabs were used by six police forces and recorded almost 200 offences, including 57 drivers on mobile phones, 37 not wearing seatbelts and 26 who were driving carelessly or not in proper control of their vehicles.

 

Police officers filed 133 traffic offence reports – usually requiring drivers to attend a driver education course – and there were also five prosecutions for more serious offences.

 

Northamptonshire Police was one of the forces involved in the week of action. PC Dave Lee from the Safer Roads Team said: “Our main priority is to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads by clamping down on the fatal four offences, which are speeding, drink/drug driving, seatbelt and mobile phone use.

 

“Working with our partners on such operations enables us to take a strong and robust approach to identify road traffic offences.”

 

The number of incidents during the Highways England initiative, which took place from May 13-19, fell from 90 collisions during the previous week to 64 during the week of action.

 

Highways England’s traffic officers also joined forces with the emergency services to provide free tyre checks and safety tips to hundreds of drivers at motorway services along the M1.

 

Similar safety initiatives are now being planned for other motorways across England following the success of the M1 week of action.

 

Richard Leonard, head of road safety at Highways England, said: “We’ve been really impressed with the results of our week of action on the M1, which shows how making little changes to the way you drive can make a big difference to safety on our motorways.

 

“Our HGV supercabs helped the police identify almost 200 dangerous drivers who could have caused collisions if they hadn’t been pulled over, and our safety tips at motorway services and in the media also helped to make the M1 safer for everyone.

 

“As part of our current motorway driving campaign, we’re encouraging drivers to remember the basics of motorway driving to help keep us all moving so that the number of accidents continue to fall in the weeks and months ahead.”

 

The HGV supercabs, which are funded by Highways England, allow police officers to film evidence of unsafe driving behaviour by pulling up alongside vehicles, and drivers are then pulled over by police cars following a short distance behind.

 

They have derestricted speed limiters which mean they can travel at speeds up to the national speed limit, and flashing lights have been installed for use by police forces in an emergency.

 

Highways England told Fleet News earlier this year that the three unmarked HGVs had recorded more than 3,500 offences patrolling motorways and major A roads across England in the past year.

 

Police officers issued 462 penalty charge notices and filed 2,533 traffic offence reports – usually requiring drivers to attend a driver education course. There were also 73 prosecutions for more serious offences.

 

Tom Cotton, the Road Haulage Association’s head of licensing and infrastructure policy, said: “A minority of drivers think it’s okay to endanger other road users by taking unnecessary risks behind the wheel – it’s not. No phone call or text is so urgent that it can’t wait until the driver is safely parked.

 

“We’re pleased to see police and Highways England working together on initiatives to improve road safety.”

 

A new Highways England safety campaign is currently taking place highlighting the basics of motorway driving, including what to do if you break down, keeping left except when overtaking, and obeying red X and variable speed limit signs.

 

Red Xs are displayed on overhead electronic signs to close lanes for several reasons, including an accident or breakdown, debris in the carriageway, or because of a person or animal on the road. Lanes are also closed to help emergency services get through or to provide a safe space for road workers.

 

More details on the campaign are available at www.highwaysengland.co.uk/motorways. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News.

Auto Express have carried out some surveys amongst their readers into satisfaction levels achieved by Insurance Companies and Breakdown Services.

 

The winner of the insurance top place was a surprise to me, is not available on the comparison sites but has won for the fourth time in a row. The top breakdown service was also a surprise to me but as the report shows it’s the 7^th year in a row for this one.

 

To see the full survey buy a copy of Auto Express or look it up online. The insurance survey asked 7 questions:

Ease of purchase (web & phone)

Telephone experience when making a claim

Keeping you informed when claim is being assessed

Speed to settle a claim

Friendliness and helpfulness during claim

Value for money

Overall satisfaction with claim process

 

The top 5 insurers were as follows:

1. The National Farmers Union Mutual (NFU Mutual) – available to everyone
2. RIAS (up 9 places)
3. Privilege (Part of Direct Line)
4. LV= (Formerly Liverpool Victoria)
5. Quote Me Happy.Com (Budget arm of Aviva)

 

I would add one to avoid – Zurich which didn’t even appear in the top 50. They refused a payout when I made a claim and it took two and a half years to finally get the Financial Ombudsman to find in my favour after an adjudicator had constantly told them to pay out – avoid like the plague!

 

Moving on to the top breakdown services. There are 190,000 breakdowns each year according to Highways England so seen as a must have for most motorists. Auto Express listed 25 top providers which you can see in the full report but for your information, I’ve shown the top 5. First of all the list of questions asked:

 

Ease of purchase

Keeping you informed

Speed of recovery

Ability to fix the fault

Friendliness and helpfulness

General presentation

Value for money

 

The top 5 breakdown services were as follows:

1. GEM Motoring Assist (7^th year in a row)
2. Green Flag (best at keeping customers informed)
3. LV= Britannia Rescue (LV owned Britannia carried out most roadside repairs)
4. AutoAid
5. AA (largest UK provider)

Just out of interest the RAC was next after the AA.

 

So there you have it – By Graham Hill

As we move towards the winter months when poor weather can lead to problems with grip it raises the question as to which end of the car should you fit the new tyres?

 

I addressed this problem earlier this year but it might be worth reminding you what was said at the time. You may think this is a daft question – simply replace the tyres that are worn – right?

 

Front tyres generally wear out quicker than rears if your car is front wheel drive and rears wear quicker if rear wheel drive, so wouldn’t it be correct to replace the tyres that wear fastest with the new boots? No!

 

Most safety experts ignore the wear element or whether the car is front, rear or all wheel drive and suggest that you always put freshest tyres on the rear of the car. This is because if the car loses grip in a corner, it will either oversteer or understeer.

 

Unless you are an F1 fan you may not understand what this means. Understeer is when the front tyres lose grip in a corner causing the front of the car to slide out whilst oversteer means you lose grip at the back of the car, causing the rear of the car to swing out.

 

It’s actually easier to control a car that is understeering than one that is oversteering – simply slowing down should help to regain grip if the car is understeering.

 

This is why it is important that you should maintain the greatest grip at the rear and fit your new tyres at the rear of the car. This will minimise the chance of potential oversteer and minimise the chance of a serious accident. Great advice eh! Graham Hill

Tyre technology is improving constantly with some tyres even able to generate electricity that can be used to re-charge the battery. But what about the important factors like fuel efficiency, grip and road noise?

 

Whilst a budget or mid-range brand may save you a few pounds do you know what you may be giving up in terms of safety or fuel-efficiency. Budget tyres seem to fare poorly in terms of road noise but do they? The tyre markings can tell you a lot.

 

My thanks to Tyre Shopper for their Guide to EU Tyre Labels:

 

All new tyres we supply for cars, vans and 4x4s come with EU Tyre Labels.

 

The labels, mandated in 2012, provide information to help buyers make an informed tyre choice. The labelling covers fuel efficiency, braking distance in wet road conditions, and exterior noise.

 

Tyres that don’t have the EU tyre labels include off-road, vintage, spare, studded, racing tyres and those with a speed limit of up to 80km/h.

 

Why do we need EU tyre labels?

 

EU tyre labels are designed to help drivers who regularly take motorway trips or travel long trips in different weather conditions, to know how well their tyres can handle poor road conditions.

 

What do EU tyre labels look like?

 

The tyre rating labels are shown in their respective sections below with more information each.

1 – Fuel Efficiency

 

Tyres have a fuel efficiency rating from A (most fuel-efficient) to G (least fuel efficient).

 

The better the fuel efficiency, the lower the cost of motoring and the less harmful Carbon Dioxide pumped into the atmosphere.

 

Choosing A-rated tyres over G-rated tyres equates to a 7.5% saving in fuel.

 

An A-rated tyre may use 80 litres less fuel each year (over £110) compared to when using G-rated tyres. This estimate is based on a petrol engine covering 10,000 miles at a cost of £1.40 for every litre of petrol.

 

Rolling resistance

Tyres indirectly use a fifth of their fuel consumption due to something called ‘rolling resistance’. This is the friction created when the tyres touch the road. Each tyre has a different amount of rolling resistance depending on its shape and composition. They use less fuel and cost less to own.

 

2 – Wet Grip & Braking Distances

 

Tyres struggle to grip the road to slow down in wet road conditions, so manufacturers change tyre patterns to improve braking times and reduce the chance of aquaplaning.

 

Tyres are rated for their combined wet grip and braking distance rating – how long it takes for the vehicle to come to a complete stop in wet road conditions.

 

All-weather tyres can be used when weather is poor for many weeks and we stock a range of these to suit many types of vehicles.

 

The EU tyre labels helps drivers choose the tyre with the shortest stopping distance.

 

Braking distance variation between each wet weather tyre rating from A to G, equates to 3-6 metres. The maximum benefit is 18 metres shorter braking distance based on driving at 50mph in wet road conditions when choosing A-rated tyres over G-rated ones.

 

3 – External Noises

 

External noise emissions measure the decibels (dB) created outside the vehicle when that tyre is used in normal driving conditions.

 

The tyre noise rating label displays either one, two or three audio waves, with the number of decibels shown as a number.

 

• One wave – three decibels or more under the current noise legislation.
• Two waves – an acceptable noise level for current and future noise legislation.
• Three waves – a tyre that will meet current noise mandated levels, but will fail future limits and need changing in the future.

 

Are the labels standardised across tyre brands?

 

Whether you’re looking at Michelin, Continental or other tyre brands, the label information can be compared side-by-side.

 

This includes the mid-range brands and budget brands. I remember the days when the now premium brand Hankook was a budget brand.

 

And whilst Nanking are a budget brand could they be going the same way as Hankook, they certainly don’t seem to be far behind when you check the labels.

 

One final thought. If you have a car on a lease or PCP and intend handing the car back at the end of the agreement check to see if they stipulate the tyres to be fitted when it comes to replacing them.

 

You don’t want to be forking out for more new tyres when handing the car back because you haven’t complied with the contract.

 

All cars must now be fitted with tyre pressure monitors but you shouldn’t simply rely upon the accuracy of the monitors and stop checking tyre pressures on a regular basis. Having improperly inflated tyres not only has safety and cost consequences you could end up with points and a fine.

 

It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that tyres are in proper condition and penalties for offences are very severe. The penalties for having illegal tyres are currently up to a £2500 fine and 3 penalty points PER TYRE. Two faulty tyres could cost six penalty points, loss of license and a £5000 fine!

 

Apart from the requirements regarding tyre wear, tread depth, damaged sidewalls, etc, the tyres must be correctly inflated. Regulation 27 section b states “the tyre is not so inflated as to make it fit for the use to which the motor vehicle or trailer is put”. This definition is not very helpful, but correct tyre pressures are vital for safe handling and optimum braking, grip and tyre life.

 

Low tyre pressures

Cause increased fuel consumption, more air pollution, shorter tyre life and greater risk of tyre failure.

 

High tyre pressures

Cause reduced comfort, less grip, greater risk of impact tyre damage and reduced stability in braking and cornering.

 

By Graham Hill

Car batteries are nothing like they were when I first started driving. All cars, even the most basic, are reliant on batteries to power masses of equipment so they are very high duty these days but even new batteries don’t last forever.

 

It’s important to make sure that you don’t fit incorrect batteries which could leave you stranded so for many the solution is to use a main dealer to ensure that the correct battery is fitted. However, Auto Express has found some massive differences between dealers depending on where the dealer is located.

 

This is what Auto Express found:

 

Replacing a car’s battery is something that many buyers will face at some point. But how much does it cost on the UK’s most popular new cars? And are buyers getting a fair deal?

 

An Auto Express investigation can reveal that some car owners are being charged a staggering £1,250 for battery replacement, while others face bills as low as £98.

 

Auto Express compiled a list of the UK’s 20 best-selling vehicles and contacted three franchised dealer networks across the country to get a price for parts and labour. The only information dealers requested was the vehicle’s registration details.

 

Owners of the current-generation Mercedes C-Class are in for the biggest shock, because we were quoted a fee of £1,248 for a replacement battery. A second dealership quoted a price of £1,098.90 for the same job, while a third was charging only £315. To check this figure was not an anomaly, we contacted two more dealerships and again received quotes of £1,111.80 and £1,198.80.

 

A Mercedes spokesperson told Auto Express: “We believe the majority of retailers you contacted have quoted for a lithium-ion battery, and one quote may be for a 12v battery. We can only recommend a retail price for these parts, which means there could be a variation across retailers.”

 

By comparison, prices for a replacement battery on a comparable BMW 320i started from £296.98 and rose to £392.57.

 

The Vauxhall Mokka X was also a model that had a big disparity in price, with some dealers offering parts and labour for as little as £98.46, while two other dealers quoted £248.40 and £262.80. “We believe that the cost of the lowest-priced battery quoted to your researcher was based on a unit that was not of comparable quality to the other units for which quotes were received,” a Vauxhall spokesperson told us.

 

Volkswagen Tiguan owners also face quite a disparity in price for a battery replacement, ranging from £190.66 up to £320.66 – a difference of more than 68 per cent.

 

The fairest and most consistent pricing was to be found with the Toyota Yaris; all three franchised dealers quoted the same £105 fee for parts and labour.

 

Industry regulator Motor Codes told Auto Express that the results highlighted the importance of buyers shopping around if vehicle repairs are required. “When purchasing and/or having a replacement part fitted, such as a battery, we always advise motorists to shop around and to spend time doing their research.

 

As the retail price of batteries isn’t regulated, this means that the brands supplied and the cost to the consumer will vary between retailers for the recommended technical specifications advised by the vehicle manufacturer.”

 

Here are their findings

 

Car battery costs

Car	Dealership 1	Cost	Dealership 2	Cost	Dealership 3	Cost	Difference
Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost	Bridgend	£199	Nottingham	£208	Bristol	£186	11.28%
Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSI SE Edition 5dr	Loughborough	£194	West London	£244	Swansea	£250	28.86%
Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost auto Style	Maidstone	£181	Gravesend	£218	Cambridge	£193	20.44%
Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 Design 5d	North London	£284	Bristol	£249	Manchester	£237	19.83%
Mercedes A-Class A 180 SE	Manchester	£322	Loughton	£444	Coventry	£377	37.88%
Nissan Qashqai 1.2 DiG-T Acenta	Nottingham	£129	Birmingham	£132	North London	£130	2.32%
Volkswagen Polo SE 1.0 TSI	Bristol	£234	Newport	£212	Ashford	£192	21.87%
Ford Kuga Titanium X 1.5 TDCi	Manchester	£206	Swindon	£202	Liverpool	£228	12.87%
Kia Sportage 1.7 CRDi ISG 2	Solihull	£286	Leeds	£215	Cardiff	£309	43.72%
MINI Hatchback Cooper S Classic 3d	Liverpool	£357	Milton Keynes	£232	Coventry	£224	59.37%
Mercedes C-Class C 200 SE*	Central London	£1,248	Cambridge	£315	Harrogate	£1,098.80	296.44%
Vauxhall Mokka ecoTEC XDesign Nav 1.4i	Tonbridge	£248.40	Burnley	£98.46	Leeds	£262.80	166.91%
Vauxhall Astra 1.4 Design	Crawley	£135.00	Birmingham	£134.40	Carlisle	£136	1.19%
Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI 150 SE Nav	Maidstone	£190.66	Coventry	£320.66	South West London	£235.66	68.18%
Audi A3 Sportback 1.5 TFSI	Whetstone	£405.46	Leicester	£336.60	Harrogate	388	20.45%
Toyota Yaris 1.0 Icon Tech	Ashford	£105	Cheltenham	£105	Rotherham	£105	0%
BMW 1 Series 118i Sport	Essex	£332.57	Boston	£292.57	Newcastle	£271.27	22.59%
BMW 3 Series 320i SE	Eastleigh	£296.98	Coventry	£300.77	Doncaster	£392.57	32.18%
Hyundai Tucson 1.6 GDi SE Nav	Maidstone	£289.76	Bristol	£321.18	Sunderland	£298.38	10.84%
Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge	Crawley	£207	Chesterfield	£192	Glasgow	£193	7.80%

* Mercedes prices varied so widely that we obtained two extra quotes of £1,111.80 and £1,198.80 from other dealerships

 

Thanks to Auto Express – By Graham Hill

Failure to wear a seatbelt could result in penalty points as well as a fine, under new road safety plans being considered by the Government.

 

The Government is considering issuing penalty points to drivers who fail to wear a seatbelt as part of a new road safety action plan aimed at reducing the number of deaths on the UK’s roads.

 

Despite the fact that, in 2017, 27 per cent of car deaths involved people who were not wearing a seatbelt, the punishment for committing the offence in England, Scotland and Wales is just a fine of £100, which can be increased to a maximum of £500 if the case goes to court.

 

Now, the Department for Transport (DfT) is considering introducing penalty points for such an offence, as part of a package of 74 potential actions to improve road safety in the UK. This follows a report from the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) calling for Great Britain to adopt the same rules as Northern Ireland, where drivers who don’t wear a seatbelt are handed three penalty points.

 

Another key area of focus in the DfT’s plan is rural roads, for which an advisory panel will be set up to look at how rural road safety can be boosted via the improvement of roads and traffic signs, as well as by tackling issues around speed limits and enforcement.

 

The DfT has broken down some of its other plans by which age groups they will affect. For children, a £225,000 grant has been given to Good Egg Safety to deliver a safety training programme for retailers to help parents correctly fit baby and child seats.

 

Research will also be commissioned into whether mobile phone use among young pedestrians leads to an increased risk of road collisions, as well as how children aged seven to 18 with special educational needs and cognitive disabilities can be taught to understand the dangers near roads.

 

For young adults, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is developing a behavioural change campaign designed to encourage learner drivers to broaden their experience by using more rural roads and driving at night before taking their test.

 

One in four people killed on road not wearing a seatbelt

 

There will also be research into the benefits of Graduated Driving Licences, while THINK! will continue campaigning against drink-driving, mobile phone use while driving, speedin and passenger distraction.

 

With adults in mind, the DfT will be looking at the feasibility of alcolocks, while a greater focus on roads policing will be spearheaded by a two-year project with the Home Office and National Police Chiefs’ Council to identify best practice and gaps in services to see how policing can be improved.

 

Finally, for older drivers, RoadSafe has been given £50,000 to deliver a digital platform to share best practice to reduce road safety risks for elderly road users.

 

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “Today’s action plan is a key milestone in our road safety work and sets out the important steps we are taking to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.”

 

Steve Barrett, head of car insurance for Direct Line, commented: “Through better enforcement and greater public awareness, we can hopefully increase seat belt wearing rates and reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads.”

 

David Davies, executive director of PACTS, added that it was “unusual to find a road safety measure with so much benefit and no downsides”.By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express

Drivers in the UK have spent more than £3m buying International Driving Permits since February in preparation for a no deal Brexit.

 

UK motorists have bought 584,000 International Driving Permits (IDPs) since February 2019 in order to still be able to drive in Europe following a no deal Brexit.

 

This means drivers have spent in excess of £3.2 million on them in the last six months, according to figures revealed by transport minister Michael Ellis in response to a written Parliamentary question.

 

Previously, IDPs were available from 89 Post Office branches, as well as from the RAC and AA. Around 100,000 were issued each year to British motorists looking to drive outside Europe. In February, though, the rules were changed so that IDPs were only available from 2,500 Post Office branches and nowhere else.

 

The Government issued advice to drivers saying UK driving licences may no longer be valid in EU and EEA countries following a no-deal Brexit, which could have occurred on 29th March or 12th April 2019, before the deadline was moved to 31st October

 

This led to a spike in demand for IDPs, with 282,000 applications in March and 163,000 in April. A number of Post Offices saw long queues, prompting a House of Lords report to call for IDPs to be available online.

 

Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy at the RAC, commented: “It’s truly astonishing that more than half a million International Driving Permits have been issued since the Government took the service in-house. In one month alone, the number of IDPs issued was almost three times higher than the amount normally issued in an entire year.

 

“This shows that people who were planning to take their vehicles abroad most definitely heeded warnings about being ready to drive in the EU in the event of a no-deal Brexit. During the Spring, this led to long queues and even shortages of IDPs at some Post Offices.

 

“As we head towards the next Brexit deadline of 31st October 2019, it is vital that Post Offices are set up to cope with a sudden surge in IDP requests so that drivers are not confronted with frustrating pre-holiday delays. However, much of this will be dependent on the terms of the UK’s departure from the EU.” By Graham Hill Thanks To Auto Express