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The future of Smart Motorways could be short lived as Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has called for a review into their safety.

 

Shapps told MPs “we know people are dying on smart motorways” and said recommendations are expected “in a matter of weeks” to ensure all motorways are “as safe as they possibly can be”.

 

His announcement follows an admission from Highways England that the dangers of removing the hard shoulder had not been investigated when it began introducing the concept.

 

Jim O’Sullivan, head of Highways England, said he does not think any more Smart Motorways will be built because “too many motorists don’t understand them. A huge U-turn on his previous positive sentiments in June, when he said Smart Motorways are as safe as conventional ones.

 

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “We welcome a commitment from the Secretary of State to review smart motorway safety. We know from our own research that drivers feel the permanent removal of the hard shoulder compromises safety.

 

They also tell us that emergency SOS areas are located too far apart at intervals of up to 1.6 miles.

 

“While it’s important that we increase capacity on our motorway network, this should only be done using the safest design features and the latest technology which has sadly only been the case on a fraction of smart motorways.

 

Drivers must have confidence that they will be protected from traffic in the event they suffer a breakdown in live lane, particularly where the hard shoulder has been permanently removed.

 

“We reiterate our calls for the latest stopped vehicle detection technology to be retrofitted on all sections of smart motorway as a matter of urgency and for more SOS areas to be built so drivers are never more than a mile away from one.

 

These measures should also be included in all smart motorway schemes that are currently being built or planned.”

 

Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: “While millions of drivers successfully use smart motorways there is more to do to improve their understanding of how they work and what you should do if you break down.

 

“Road users tend to trust that ‘the authorities’ would not allow motorways without a hard shoulder if it was unsafe. Highways England must remain vigilant that their trust is not misplaced.”

 

Earlier this month The AA revealed that only one in 10 motorists felt safer on Smart Motorways than conventional ones and its survey of more than 15,000 drivers found that seven out of 10 (71%) believed that all-lane running schemes felt more dangerous than a motorway with a permanent hard shoulder.

 

Edmund King, AA president said: “We are delighted that the Transport Secretary has listened to us and agreed to review the safety of ‘smart’ motorways.

 

“We have been raising concerns for more than six years about the dangers of the 38% who breakdown in a live lane on smart motorways. We hope the review will stop a further rollout unless more Emergency Refuge Areas are planned and retrofitted.

 

“We trust that the review will not get overtaken by misleading or partial statistical analysis about what type of road is safer but will concentrate on avoidable deaths. We know there are real situations where lives would have saved if drivers on smart motorways had somewhere safe to stop. We owe it to all drivers to give them a safe harbour to stop if their vehicle develops problems.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News.

Businesses and consumers could be paying almost £150 per month more than their whole life cost calculations suggest for each plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that is not being plugged in.

 

This isn’t the first time that I’ve reported this when a company invested in a fleet of Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV’s only to find that drivers had no means for charging overnight and they were struggling to get anywhere close to 30mpg if the cars weren’t charged using a mains charger.

 

The data, revealed by Fleet Logistics UK, shows that the average PHEV returned 37.2mpg and 193g/km of CO2.

 

Using the popular BMW 330e as an example, the company calculated a monthly whole life cost of £57 if the vehicle is charged regularly, compared to more than £200 if it is not – based on official mpg figures.

 

Fleet Logistics UK says company car drivers who do not plug in and recharge their PHEVs are not only adding unwanted carbon dioxide into the atmosphere but are racking up unnecessary fuel and whole life costs.

 

But, PHEVs can be the ideal business tool for company drivers looking to transition between conventional ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) engines and electric vehicles.

 

For a large fleet running several hundred of these cars, the cost increases are clearly substantial. However, the drivers are not penalised over their driving style in terms of the Benefit-in-Kind taxation they pay, as this can start at £106 per month for a 20% taxpayer and £212 for a 40% taxpayer, regardless of how they drive the vehicle.

 

“We believe PHEVs have a role to play in helping companies transition between ICE engines and electric vehicles. However, it is important they are used correctly so as not to impact air pollution as well as cost,” said Sue Branston, country head for Fleet Logistics UK and Ireland.

 

“They do not suffer from range anxiety and therefore can be suitable for even long-distance fleets. However, if they are not recharged regularly and in line with manufacturer guidance, then they become more costly to operate for the business than initially forecast.”

 

Branston believes PHEVs could play a role within the optimum fleet policy along with RDE2 diesels and petrol models for medium to long-distance drivers, and none should be ruled out without proper analysis.

 

“From this coming April, RDE2 diesels not only give the range and fuel consumption that many fleets still need for their longer distance drivers, but they also have the advantage of avoiding the 4% diesel surcharge and may attract a 2% reduction in BIK rate,” she said.

 

Petrol plug-in hybrids regularly get a bad wrap for delivering poor mpg, but Fleet News has been running a Mercedes-Benz E 300 de plug-in hybrid diesel for the last five months and found it is capable of achieving more than 80mpg, even on long journeys, and many trips can be covered using no fuel at all. With more vehicles in the range launching with this powertrain next year, it provides another alternative to ICE with less compromise.

 

Fleet Logistics UK PHEV wholelife cost analysis:

BMW 330E 4dr 2.0M Sport auto	36months/10,000 miles pa	36months/15,000 miles pa	36months/20,000 miles pa	36months/25,000 miles pa
Monthly business fuel cost (using 176.6mpg)	£23.10	£34.65	£46.19	£57.74
Monthly business fuel cost (using 50.4mpg)	£80.93	£121.40	£161.87	£202.33
Increase to monthly WLC	£46.84	£78.24	£112.47	£142.40

 

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Private parking firms could be required to give drivers a 10-minute grace period after their tickets expire, as the Government unveils plans to clamp down on “rogue operators”.

 

Local Government secretary Robert Jenrick has instructed the British Standards Institution to write a new code of practice for private car park operators, forcing them to operate in-line with council-run sites.

 

Companies that fail to comply with the regulations will no longer be able to retrieve vehicle keeper details from the DVLA.

 

A 10-minute grace period was introduced for all council car parks in England in 2015, but remains voluntary for private parking firms.

 

Under new legislation, all private car parks in England, Scotland and Wales will have to give motorists an extra 10 minute before issuing a late fine.

 

Jenrick said: “For too long rogue parking firms have operated in an unregulated industry, handing out unjust fines, putting drivers through baffling appeals processes and issuing tickets to motorists who were only seconds late back to their cars.

 

“The new Code will restore common sense to the way parking fines are handed out, encourage people back onto our high-streets and crack down on dodgy operators who use aggressive tactics to harass drivers.”

 

Other measures include a reduction of intimidating debt collection practices by private parking companies, and an independent appeals service, which will give motorists further support to challenge unnecessary parking tickets.

 

The Parking (Code of Practice) Act became law in March 2019 and builds on action the government has already taken to reduce rogue private parking firms’ actions, including banning wheel clamping, towing and stopping rash parking enforcement. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

As someone who was diagnosed type 2 diabetes last year I was concerned about my driving licence. However, following a change to diet and medication my glucose reading dropped from a high reading of over 9.0 to 5.2 which is now at a normal level. Glad I was checked when I was.

 

The following report reveals licence revocations for all sorts of conditions.

 

DIABETES medical revocations have hit a five-year low as it was revealed the DVLA take away less driving licences from sufferers compared to previous years. Diabetes patients taking insulin saw just 1,713 driving licences revoked on medical grounds in a massive fall of almost 800 on 2017 figures which stood just shy of 2,500.

 

The figure is considerably lower than statistics over the last five years which has consistently put diabetes revocations between 2,400 and 2,600 each year.

 

Diabetes sufferers on tablets also saw a massive fall in medical revocations in 2018 as figures revealed a third consecutive yearly fall to 144, down from 209.

 

Diabetes patients driving a bus or lorry also saw a slight reduction in driving licence revocations compared to last year to hit 962.

 

The figure is down on the 973 medical revocations in this category in 2017 but is slightly higher than pre-2016 numbers.

The data was released by the DVLA through a Freedom of Information Act request which revealed the most common reasons why driving licences are revoked on medical advice.

 

The data showed dementia was the most popular reason why licences were revoked for car drivers.

 

A massive 7,767 dementia sufferers saw their licenses taken away on medical grounds last year in a new five-year high.

 

Numbers have crept up considerably over the last half a decade to increase by over 3,000 in a staggering 64.7 percent increase.

 

Speaking on the findings, a DVLA spokesman told Express.co.uk: “By law, all drivers must ensure that they are medically fit to drive and must notify us of the onset or worsening of a medical condition that could affect this.

 

“Where we are notified of a medical condition that may affect driving, the driver may be referred for further assessment. We then make an evidence-based decision on whether the driver can retain their licence.

 

“If anyone has concerns whether a medical condition could affect their ability to drive, we would advise they speak to their doctor or a medical professional involved in their care.”

 

Other highly targeted illnesses include epilepsy whose sufferers have seen more than 5,700 medical revocations in 2018.  By Graham Hill With Thanks To The Express

MOTORISTS could be fined £5,000 if they drive with a pet in the car under strict guidelines on road safety.

 

The Highway Code says drivers who are behind the wheel of a car with a pet which is not safely secured could be breaking dangerous driving offences. Having a pet in the car could also invalidate your car insurance even if they were not directly involved in causing the crash.

 

Drivers are urged to consider investing in dog crates or safety harnesses to avoid authorities forcing the fines on distracted motorists.

 

The strict clause is seen in Rule 57 if the Highway Code which states animals must be suitably restrained when you are driving.

 

The code states: “When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves if you stop quickly.”

 

“A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars”.

 

Police chiefs warn that having a pet safely stored is not a legal requirement and failure to comply will not necessarily lead to an instant prosecution.

 

The Highway Code says drivers who are behind the wheel of a car with a pet which is not safely secured could be breaking dangerous driving offences. Having a pet in the car could also invalidate your car insurance even if they were not directly involved in causing the crash.

 

Drivers are urged to consider investing in dog crates or safety harnesses to avoid authorities forcing the fines on distracted motorists.

 

The strict clause is seen in Rule 57 if the Highway Code which states animals must be suitably restrained when you are driving.

 

The code states: “When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves if you stop quickly.”

 

“A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars”.

 

Police chiefs warn that having a pet safely stored is not a legal requirement and failure to comply will not necessarily lead to an instant prosecution.

 

Although not following the Highway Code may be used in court proceedings and could see motorists still forced to pay a fine.

 

Police could issue up to a £1,000 fine for driving without proper control if authorities feel a driver is being easily distracted.

 

If a case goes to court, drivers could see themselves paying the top fine of £5,000 and facing up to nine penalty points on a driving licence.

 

A recent US study revealed driving with an unrestrained pet in the vehicle leads to drivers getting more stressed and more distracted.

 

The Volvo USA and Harris Poll research highlighted 649 unsafe driving behaviours while a dog was unrestrained, compared to 274 when they were.

 

Distractions were also up on drivers with an unrestrained dog in the vehicle as 3h 39 min was spent not focusing completely on the road ahead.

 

Shockingly, having a loose animal in the boot of a vehicle could allow insurers to invalidate your policy for careless driving.

 

MoneySuperMarket spokeswoman Rachel Wait said: “While driving with your pet in your car – whether in the boot or on a seat – might seem like a harmless way of getting from A to B, the truth is you can risk invalidating your car insurance.

 

“If you’re in a prang with an unrestrained pet in your car, insurers may use it against you – regardless of whether it was as a direct result of the animal itself – so it’s worth being on the safe side and making sure ‘man’s best friend’ is properly restrained.”

 

A recent study by Conused.com showed more than half of pet-owning drivers do not know that having a pet in a car can also invalidate an insurance policy.

 

One in ten drivers had an accident when travelling in a car with a pet, or had known someone who had suffered one.

 

Amanda Stretton, Motoring Editor at Confused.com said: “Many drivers will be joined by four-legged companions as they set off on trips across the UK.

 

“But drivers must restrain their dogs properly, or they could receive fines up to £5,000

 

“Driving with an unprotected pet can also invalidate your car insurance, meaning having to personally payout for repairs in the event of a claim.”

 

To get around the issue, Confused.com have advised drivers to consider using a dog crate to safely transport an animal on a car journey.

 

Drivers should also consider purchasing a safety harness for their animal to keep it from excessively moving around during a trip.

 

Motorists on long-distance journeys should stop every few hours when travelling with an animal to allow their pet to stretch their legs and have a drink.

 

Drivers are also urged to carry water for animals during long car journeys and to never leave pets in a vehicle during warm temperatures.  By Graham Hill With Thanks To The Express

FROST has swept across parts of the UK this morning as the cold weather makes its mark on cars across the nation. Ice could take a while to naturally melt from a vehicle and motorists will need to make sure their windscreens are clear before setting off.

 

Frost and ice-cold conditions can freeze a windscreen and make it impossible to see the road. Motorists can clear the frost from the front of their cars with a series of simple solutions that will not cause damage.

 

However, using certain household tools could see your windscreen destroyed if proper care is not taken.

 

Scraping off frost with a credit card or putting boiling water on top can crack or scratch a windscreen and should be avoided.

 

De-icer

 

Motorists could instead use a special de-icer tool that picks the frost off a windscreen without doing any damage.

 

These tools can be picked up from many local supermarkets and vehicle garages and can be easily used to great effect.

 

Sprays

 

Special de-icer sprays can be applied to a car windscreen to prevent it from icing over in cold conditions.

 

The sprays can often be applied the evening before you are scheduled to make a journey and prevents a vehicle’s windscreen from completely freezing.

 

 

The sprays claim you will wake up the next morning with a clear windscreen and save valuable minutes picking the freezing ice off a car directly.

 

Water 

 

Although pouring boiling water over a windscreen is not advised, lukewarm water should not damage a vehicle and can clear the worst of the icy conditions.

 

Splashing some over the windscreen should make the ice soften and melt which can then be easily cleared by a hand or cloth.

 

If you are in a rush, melted and slushy ice can even be cleared by windscreen wipers before you set off.

 

Engine 

 

Turning on an engine and putting the heating on will warm up your windscreen as well as a car’s interior.

 

This will make your vehicle warm and comfortable for any early morning journeys and should clear all the frost off a windscreen quickly and efficiently.

 

However, motorists are urged to never leave their car unattended when they have turned the engine on to heat a car.

 

The engine will be running and leaving a car unattended could lead to thieves targeting a vehicle and potentially steaking it from your drive.

 

The Central Motorway Police Group revealed unattended cars left running were taken once every five minutes.

 

The crime has even been given its unique name, frosting, due to the regularity of offences in winter months.

 

Snow

 

It’s not just a frosty windscreen that needs to be cleared before heading off on a journey.

 

Experts urge drivers to check snow has not lodged into their front grille as this can lead to overheating.

 

If hot air cannot escape from the engine a car can quickly start to overheat. The front grille must be clear of snow or obstruction before heading off for safety reasons.

 

Prevent frost 

 

Frost can be prevented even before a cold patch has struck with some simple measures.

 

Placing a towel over a windscreen will prevent much of the ice forming on a windscreen and will shave time off cleaning a vehicle in the morning.

 

Rubbing a raw onion over a windscreen in the evening before cold weather can prevent frost from forming on the glass, while motorists can also use vinegar or alcohol to avoid a frost build-up.

 

Side mirrors can be covered with plastic carrier bags the night beforehand to prevent frost from impairing vision.

 

Windscreen wipers can be gently rubbed in alcohol to stop them freezing over and sticking to the window. By Graham Hill With Thanks To The Express

As my regular readers know I receive from one of my dealer contacts information that they receive from a firm of lawyers – well-known for defending dealer clients against consumers who sue for a variety of failings.

 

In the latest missive they explain what the dealer needs to do to avoid handing back a deposit paid. They used a case as an example whereby the customer had not declared that his part-exchange had not been a write-off and then couldn’t get finance anyway. The customer asked for his deposit back but when his request was declined he sued.

 

According to the lawyers the dealer did the right thing by taking the deposit THEN checking HPI only to find that at some time the car had been a Category D Write-Off. The invoice from the dealer had a statement that the car to be part exchanged had never been involved in an accident or written off by the insurers.

 

They admit that the customer probably had no idea that the car had been a repaired write off but by then the dealer had the deposit from the customer. The dealer called the sale off following which the customer heard that his application for finance had been declined.

 

Following this the customer asked for his deposit back which was refused in total. A court case ensued. The lawyers maintained that the case could not succeed as the cancelled sale  was no fault of the dealer.

 

The judge found that the dealer was able to recover any loss and expense caused by the cancellation of the deal and therefore entitled to keep the deposit. The lawyers explained that the dealer’s position was helped by the fact that they had followed advice and put into the terms included on the invoice that the deposit was not refundable.

 

They argued that as the customer had signed the invoice that he was aware that the deposit was not refundable. They even went on to say that had they carried out work on the car at the customer’s request they could have even invoiced for more.

 

I’ve seen plenty of articles from these solicitors that surreptitiously encourage dealers to act in an underhand way. It’s these areas that the FCA should be concentrating on – not APR’s.

 

So my advice is, as always, try to avoid a deposit. If you have to pay one to secure a car pay as little as possible – you may not get it back. Before paying the deposit get the dealer to carry out his HPI check to make sure that he isn’t going to use what he finds out later to hold on to the deposit. If the dealer was treating his customer fairly he should have done that before taking a deposit.

 

You should also make your finance application before paying a deposit. Again if the dealer was treating his customer fairly he would have done that as a matter of course. Having a statement included in the terms and conditions of sale saying that the deposit is non-refundable is on the edge of being illegal. The legal position, as was stated by the judge, is that the dealer can retain any costs and expenses paid over once you have signed the agreement then subsequently cancel.

 

By signing you enter into a contract so you are in breach if you cancel. However, the dealer can only recover his costs and expenses. Clearly, without saying so, the lawyers are suggesting that dealers include the term Deposit Non-Refundable as most people don’t know the law and may think that they can’t get their deposit back.

 

They are a disgrace. By Graham Hill

Almost two-thirds (63%) of drivers break the speed limit at 4am, with Sunday the most

common day of the week for speeding, new research suggests.

 

The data, obtained from the Department for Transport by price comparison site MoneySuperMarket, reveals that more than half of vehicles exceed the speed limit on a Sunday (53%), with Saturday coming in a close second (52%).

 

By comparison, drivers are most likely to abide by the law on a Wednesday, when less than half (47%) exceed the limit.

 

In terms of the time of day, motorists are most likely to exceed the speed limit during the early hours of the morning, with 63% doing so between 4am and 5am, when the roads are clearer. Conversely, between 3pm and 5pm is the time when the speed limit is most likely to be obeyed (55%).

 

Rachel Wait, consumer affairs spokesperson at MoneySuperMarket, said: “Our findings suggest that drivers are looking to take advantage of emptier roads on weekends and in the early hours, but it is important to remember that there are still major safety rules to abide by, no matter what time it is.”

 

The research also found that Yorkshire and the Humber (10%) are twice as likely to have been convicted as those in London and Northern Ireland (both 5%).

 

The study also analysed drivers’ reasons for speeding, with most saying they simply were not paying attention to their speed (42%). In addition, four in 10 drivers say they were running late (40%), while 17% did it out of habit.

 

Previous research has shown that there is a disparity in the number of drivers detected for speeding offences suggesting a postcode lottery, according to Home Office figures.

 

In 2017-18, research by the RAC Foundation revealed that 1,191 road users were caught speeding in Wiltshire compared with 199,337 in Avon and Somerset, 167 times more.

 

Analysis of the figures by Dr Adam Snow for the RAC Foundation, showed that 2,292,536 speeding offences were detected across England and Wales in 2017-18, a 4% rise on the 2,213,257 figure for the previous year (2016-17).

 

Of these detections: 44% resulted in the offender being sent on a speed awareness course; 34% attracted fixed penalty notices (FPN); 11% were later cancelled; and 10% resulted in court action.

 

Most common days for speeding

 

Day of the week		Percentage of vehicles exceeding the speed limit
Sunday		53.23%
Saturday		51.96%
Monday		47.86%
Friday		47.24%
Tuesday		47.03%
Thursday		46.91%
Wednesday		46.91%

 

By Graham Hill With Thanks To Fleet News

Drivers are being urged to be vigilant after a huge rise in the number of catalytic converters being stolen from cars.

 

Police in London say the number of thefts in the first six months of 2019 was 2,894, a 73% increase on the 1,674 stolen in the whole of 2018.

 

In Cambridgeshire, there were 61 reported thefts between June 20 and August 14, with 44 of these from Honda Jazz, Toyota Prius or Toyota Auris cars.

 

The catalytic converter is part of the car’s emissions control system and its value for recycling is the main attraction to thieves because they contain precious metals such as rhodium, platinum and palladium.

 

The price of certain precious metals have skyrocketed in the past 18 months: palladium is now worth £1,300/oz, while rhodium goes for £4,000/oz, metals merchant FJ Church and Sons told the BBC.

 

Although there are 10,000 different types of converters, the cars that are most often targeted are hybrid vehicles.

 

Since hybrid cars have two power sources – electric and petrol or diesel – the catalytic converter is used less frequently to process pollutants.

 

The metals are less likely to corrode, meaning they are worth more and therefore more attractive to thieves.

 

Cambridgeshire Constabulary advises motorists to take the following precautions:

 

Park close to fences, walls or a kerb with the exhaust being closest to the fence, wall or kerb to make theft more difficult.

Invest in a catalytic converter lock, which can be fitted retrospectively and physically locks the converter to the vehicle, thereby preventing a quick and easy removal.

If your catalytic converter is bolted on, consider having the bolts welded to make removal difficult.

Mark your catalytic converter with a marking and registration system. This will not protect against theft, but will act as a deterrent and assist in returning property.

If you park on your driveway then consider purchasing a video doorbell and/or a driveway alarm to alert you to suspicious activity.

Car manufacturers have also taken steps to protect catalytic converters from theft. Honda, for example, has fitted Accord and Jazz models from 2008 onwards with a tray under the car to make it harder for thieves to get at the catalytic converter.

 

In models from 2015 onwards, the catalytic converter has been placed within the engine bay, so a thief would need to disassemble the car to get at it.

 

Toyota has developed a Catloc device, which costs between £200 and £250 (depending on model) which makes it harder for thieves to detach the catalytic converter from the bottom of the car.

 

It has also reduced the prices of replacement catalytic converters and Catlocs to a level where Toyota GB does not make any profit from supplying them to customers.

 

Toyota’s recommended prices for a bundle that includes a new catalyst and a Catloc are £950 for Auris Hybrid, £1,000 for Prius Gen 2 and £1,050 for Prius Gen 3.

 

Its website adds: “We are urgently exploring new technical possibilities to deter criminals as well.” By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

Defective brakes were the leading cause of road accidents – where a vehicle defect was a contributory factor – for the sixth year running, new figures suggest.

 

The data, from the Department for Transport (DfT), reveals that defective brakes contributed to a total of 3,894 accidents from 2013 to 2018.

 

It also revealed the highest number of fatalities due to defective brakes occurred in 2018 with 15 deaths – representing a 67% year-on-year increase compared to 2017, according to analysis by Pagid.

 

There have been 64 fatalities due to defective brakes since 2013.

 

Conversely, the overall number of road accidents and casualties, where a contributory factor was identified, have decreased by a fifth (22%) since 2013, with a 9% decrease from 2017 to 2018.

 

The second leading vehicle defect as a contributory factor, with 11% fewer accidents over the past six years was illegal, defective or underinflated tyres, which contributed to 3,449 accidents.

 

There have been 5,705 casualties in road accidents where defective brakes were a contributory factor over the last six years; 7% more than in accidents where illegal, defective or under-inflated tyres contributed.

 

Phil Woodcock, Pagid key account manager, said: “While there could be several reasons why brakes are consistently coming out as the top vehicle defect in road accidents, consumers need to be aware that worn brakes are a big problem and present a serious danger to the public.

 

“Drivers need to be able to trust their brakes in extreme situations, and although they are checked during the annual MOT, 12 months is a long time, especially if the car has received an ‘advisory notice’ that they are partially worn.

 

“It is therefore worth getting them checked in-between MOT and service intervals especially if the driver notices any warning signs such as an audible squealing sound or abnormal vibration when the brake is applied.”

 

Outside of London and the South East which had the highest proportion of reported accidents due to defective brakes, the South West had the most accidents over the past six years (2013-2018) with 442 accidents due to defective brakes.

 

The North East had the lowest number of accidents due to defective brakes, with 132 over the same period.

 

As well as defective brakes, the Government data lists five other vehicle defects in this category: illegal, defective or under-inflated tyres; defective lights or indicators; defective steering or suspension; defective or missing mirrors; and overloaded or poorly loaded vehicle or trailer.

 

There are 78 factors overall which fall into nine categories, these are: road environment contributed; vehicle defects; injudicious action; driver/rider error or reaction; impairment or distraction; behaviour or inexperience; vision affected by external factors; pedestrian only factors (casualty or uninjured); and special codes.

 

Pagid is an OE-approved braking brand of TMD Friction, which produces over one million-brake friction products across Europe every single day and invests €30m in R&D annually.

 

Every friction formulation is road tested for 300,000km with its own fleet of test cars, and 1,000 hours on a dynamometer. By Graham Hill With Thanks To Fleet News