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The classification of journeys is causing a headache for fleets, because of the rise of homeworking due to coronavirus, says the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).

Describing the problem as ‘The New Commute’, the AFP says that problems revolve around whether an employee’s home is now officially their place of work.

AFP chairman Paul Hollick explained: “If someone is working from home rather than the office, then it raises the question of which is actually their place of work. This is important when it comes to both expenses and risk management.

“For example, if someone now drives their own car to the office once a week, are they allowed to reclaim their travel costs using AMAP rates, as they would for any other business journey that they undertake?

“The other major issue is whether, if someone now uses their own car to travel from home to work, whether that is now seen as a business journey from a risk management point of view, rather a commute.”

HMRC rules

Hollick says that the HMRC rules in this area were often inconsistently applied. Normally, they were based on the employee’s contract of employment showing that they were home-based but there was also a reasonableness test, to ensure that the employee is working from home rather than the office for a proportionally greater length to time.

“As always with points of taxation,” Hollick explains, “it is better to have hard and fast rules but these are open to local interpretation and fleets can potentially suffer from a lack of uniformity.”

He added that the issue of risk management was probably clearer but also open to some degree of interpretation.

“Any employees who work from home for the majority of time but sometimes visit the office using their own vehicles have, strictly speaking, all become grey fleet – and should be subject to all the usual grey fleet management practices,” he said.

“Again, we have yet to hear from any fleets who have been in touch with the Health and Safety Executive about this but it is an area that would benefit from future clarification.”

The pandemic is creating a series of questions for fleets that AFP members were currently discussing and to which they were attempting to find solutions.

“The New Commute is just one of a series of issues that we are working hard to resolve for members but sharing best practice ideas,” said Hollick.

“It is at times such as now, when so much surrounding fleet management is fluid, that the AFP can really add value.”

The AFP was formed in March from the merging of the Association of Car Fleet Operators (ACFO) and the Institute of Car Fleet Management (ICFM).  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Skoda has developed a new Sound Analyser app for its dealers that is able to diagnose faults from a sound recording.

The app can recognise small irregularities in sound patterns and can suggest a range of measures that might be required.

It works by recording noises made by the vehicle while it is running and comparing them with stored sound patterns. In the event of any discrepancies, the app uses an algorithm to determine what they are and how they can be resolved.

Stanislav Pekař, head of aftersales at Skoda Auto, said: “Sound Analyser is a prime example of the new opportunities digitalisation at Skoda can create, even in terms of after sales. We will continue to consistently use artificial intelligence technologies to offer our customers an even more personalised service, thus enhancing the customer experience even further.”

The software is already able to recognise ten patterns – with an accuracy of more than 90%  – including for components such as the steering system, the air conditioning compressor and the clutches in the direct-shift gearbox (DSG). The app is also set up to recognise other sound patterns and will be expanded to include other service items.

Skoda has trialled the smartphone app in 14 countries – including Germany, Russia, Austria and France – since June 2019. A total of 245 Skoda dealers have been taking part in the pilot project. They have been instrumental in providing the audio recordings for the software’s ‘learning process’ and have directly contributed to the app’s development.

Artificial intelligence is a key pillar of Skoda’s digitalisation strategy. Apps like the Sound Analyser can interact with the environment, perceive and weigh up facts, or solve specific problems. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

More people are wanting to travel on their own in their own vehicle due to Covid-19, leading to an increase in private car usage for business journeys, says Jaama.

As a result, the fleet software company believes the management of grey fleet drivers should be a priority for employers.

As mentioned below if employees are now working from home then travelling to the office will now be classed as a business trip.

“Duty of care information needs to be captured and managed properly to ensure drivers are only using grey fleet vehicles which are safe, legal and appropriate for business use,” explained Martin Evans, managing director of Jaama, and director of the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).

“Companies who just pay allowances and mileage reimbursements without any diligence do so at their peril.”

Jaama says the buoyancy of the used car sector for four to seven-year- old sub-£10,000 cars, suggests more people are updating their own car to carry out more journeys for work purposes.

Evans continued: “Many fleet managers need to make a concerted effort to ensure they gain control of their grey fleet to avoid big problems in the future. All the signs are that the grey fleet car parc will continue to grow over the coming years.”

Fleet News has previously reported how long-term changes to the way people work could result in more employees becoming grey fleet drivers.

Paul Hollick, co-chair of the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP), warned that this could have significant consequences for fleets, with more employees joining the ranks of those that drive their car for work, the so-called grey fleet.

Employers have a legal obligation to ensure that grey fleet vehicles are reasonably safe to use, are fit for purpose and are lawfully on the road.

Companies also typically pay Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAPs) to reimburse fuel used in the course of a work trip at 45p per mile.

“Grey fleet could become a bit of a battleground, because of Covid-19,” warned Hollick. “Employees won’t be office-based (in the future), they’ll be home-based, which means their contract of employment might be changed.

“If the employee is classed as home-based rather than office-based a journey from home to the office will then become a business trip.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

One in five (18%) of drivers aged 17-24 admit to taking part in video calls while behind the wheel, while almost a third (29%) of all drivers make and take calls on handheld phones, new research from the RAC suggests.

The illegal use of handheld mobile devices has been studied by the RAC since the 2016 Report on Motoring highlighted the issue was at ‘epidemic levels’.

However, this latest data suggests tougher penalties introduced in 2016, have failed to change in behaviour among motorists, particularly younger drivers.

With police resources stretched, four out of five (79%) drivers told the RAC they support the introduction of camera technology to identify illegal mobile phone use in the UK, with the vast majority (52%) strongly in favour of this happening.

RAC road safety spokesperson Simon Williams said: “Our figures highlight what many drivers already know – that the problem of illegal phone use at the wheel has far from disappeared.”

Furthermore, Williams says that the situation is not helped by mobile phone laws. Mobile phone use that doesn’t involve telecommunications, such as checking text messages, recording a video or changing pre-downloaded music, is not covered by the legislation, although drivers could be convicted for not being in proper control of their vehicles.

He added: “It’s significant that motorists are united in their desire to see camera-based technology, like that already in use in other countries, introduced on our roads to catch drivers who risk everyone’s safety by breaking the law in this way.

“If the behaviour of those who continue to think it’s safe to use a handheld phone while driving upwards of a tonne of metal is ever going to change, they need to believe there’s a reasonable chance of being caught.”

An increased popularity in video call services from the likes of WhatsApp and Snapchat are particularly concerning, with younger drivers more than twice as likely to say they make or receive video calls while driving – on average 8% of all UK drivers say they do this, with the figure rising to 13% among those aged 25 to 44.

Equally concerning is just under one-in-10 drivers aged 17 to 24 (9%) say they play games on their phones while driving, making them three-times more likely to do this compared to the average UK driver.

Other drivers’ use of handheld phones is the second biggest overall motoring-related concern identified in the 2020 RAC Report on Motoring research, after the state of local roads – a third of all UK drivers surveyed (32%) say the issue concerns them and strikingly nearly eight-in-10 (79%) now want to see camera technology introduced to catch drivers acting illegally.

The 29% of drivers of all ages in 2020 that say they make and receive calls on handheld phones while driving is a five percentage point increase on last year and the highest proportion since 2016.

While younger drivers are still more likely to do so (42%, down from 51% last year), those in the 25 to 44 age group are also statistically more likely to break the law in this way (32% admit to doing so, almost unchanged on 2019’s figure of 33%).

More positively, the proportion of drivers admitting to other dangerous activities such as checking or sending text messages or taking photos or video appear to be reducing – although it is unclear whether this is simply down to lower overall car use this year as a result of the pandemic.

Less than one in 10 (8%) of all drivers say they text or send other messages while driving, down from 14% last year and from a high of 20% in 2016.

But young drivers are again much more likely to break the law – 15% of those aged 17 to 24 say they are doing it in 2020, although this is down substantially on 2019 (37%).

More than one-in-10 motorists (14%) this year say they check texts or other app notifications while driving, down from 17% in 2019. Among younger drivers, the proportion is 22%, down from 35% last year.

Williams said: “While there’s been a reduction in some elements of this dangerous activity, more people say they are making and taking calls now than at any point since 2016, shortly before tougher penalties were introduced.

“Our findings from 2016 were a watershed moment which led to the UK Government calling for people to make illegal mobile phone use while driving as socially unacceptable as drink-driving.

“The fact drivers still state it’s their second biggest motoring concern of all shows that more progress still needs to be made here.”

Brake, the road safety charity, is calling for a complete ban on the use of a phone when driving, including hands-free.

The road safety campaigners claim this view is supported by evidence, which shows hands-free devices impairing driving as much as hand-held and are urging the Government to provide clarity in the law, before more lives are lost.

Joshua Harris, director of campaigns for Brake said: “Any use of a phone behind the wheel is dangerous but the fact that such a large proportion of young people admit to making video calls and playing games when driving really beggars belief.

“We need clarity in the law around phone use behind the wheel, and we need it now. The Government must implement a full ban on phone use when driving, including hands-free, to make the dangers crystal clear to the public and to crack-down on this reckless behaviour. The police must also be provided with the right tools and investment to enforce the roads effectively.

“In the wrong hands, a car is a lethal weapon and even a moment’s distraction from the road can have catastrophic consequences. More than 75 people are killed on UK roads every day and with driver distraction levels seemingly on the rise, the Government must step in and act, now.” 

Inspector Frazer Davey, of the Avon and Somerset Police Roads Policing unit, said that the importance of concentrating on driving “cannot be overstated”.

“Using a mobile phone while in charge of a car puts you and everyone else at risk. The consequences of allowing yourself to be distracted while you are driving can be catastrophic. It’s simply not worth it.”

Type of handheld mobile phone use while driving	2020 and 2019 figure (all drivers)	2020 and 2019 figure (drivers aged 17-24)
Make and receive calls	29%, up from 23%	42%, down from 51%
Send texts, social media posts or use the internet	8%, down from 14%	15%, down from 37%
Check texts, social media posts or app notifications	14%, down from 17%	22%, down from 35%
Take photos or record video	6%, down from 13%	14%, down from 35%
Make or receive video calls	8%	18%
Play a game on a mobile phone	3%	9%

Source: representative sample of UK drivers from RAC Report on Motoring. UK sample size: 3,068  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The following article appeared in Commercial Fleet but it applies not just to fleet or company car drivers, all drivers can take part to help keep the roads safer although I have my fears about drivers becoming part of a police state. But if it saves lives I guess it’s a good thing.

Fleet operators and their drivers are being urged to share dashcam footage with police to help prosecute dangerous drivers and improve road safety.

More than 10,000 clips have already been uploaded to the National Dash Cam Safety Portal since its launch last year. The platform allows road users to report serious road incidents and securely upload video footage to the appropriate police force.

In-cab camera manufacturer Nextbase, which developed the portal, told Commercial Fleet more than half (52%) of the uploads have been followed up by police, with drivers being taken to court, having to attend awareness courses, sent warning letters or fined.

“This demonstrates the success of the platform in identifying the most severe incidents and linking motorists with police in a bid to crackdown on this behaviour,” said Nextbase’s Bryn Brooker.

“The whole idea behind it (the platform) was to make the roads a safer place; it was built to remove the most dangerous drivers from our roads.”

Drivers uploading a video must first tick a box that says ‘I am willing to go to court and testify’ if required. Brooker explains this “filters out those people uploading a video of their neighbour running a red light, for example, and ensures that focus is on only the worst of the worst motorists”.

FLEET ROLE

TRL – formerly the Transport Research Laboratory – wants to increase the role of dashcams, and other filming devices such as smartphones, in a bid to reduce the amount of dangerous driving on UK roads by encouraging drivers to upload footage.

Dashcams can provide crucial evidence to TRL’s expert witness and investigations team, but senior consultant Victoria Eyers told Commercial Fleet that working in collision investigation, the “ultimate aim is improving road safety”.

She believes commercial fleet operators using the technology could play a vital role in improving road safety by sharing video footage of dangerous driving, which is witnessed by their drivers.

Eyers explained: “It’s about volume; the more miles of driving you record, the greater the chance of recording examples of bad driving.

“Fleet operators that are covering much higher mileages than a private motorist have the potential to record more instances (of dangerous driving).

“They could, potentially, be a vital source of footage as long as it can be dealt with within the 14-day limit for some offences.”

Auto Windscreens began using the technology across its commercial fleet in 2016 with 340 commercial vehicles and 59 cars fitted with devices from sister company VisionTrack.

Group fleet manager, Shaun Atton, said: “We use the 24/7 managed service; there is a team which specifically reviews our footage and events. If one of our vehicles is involved in an RTI (road traffic incident) then the team raise the FNOL (first notification of loss) with our insurers. This allows us to control costs by having early access to the footage and sharing with relevant parties.”

Furthermore, Auto Windscreens’ drivers can make use of an alert button should they witness any kind of event, which automatically uploads a video for the teams to review.

POLICE RESOURCE

Currently, the majority of police forces – 33 of 45 in the UK – have signed up to the Nextbase initiative, with many individual forces also having their own portals on individual websites.

They have been promoted through Operation Snap, in an effort to encourage more people to upload examples of dangerous driving.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), in a recent report on roads policing, said that video footage recorded on dashcams and helmet cameras was a “cost-effective way” in which forces can deal with road traffic offences.

However, it found examples of forces that had adopted the scheme without enough consideration of potential demand and the resources needed to meet it.

In some forces, it said, “support functions were overwhelmed by the number of submissions”.

This resulted in some being unable to meet the legal requirement to notify registered keepers of vehicles of potential prosecutions.

In others, the process for submitting footage was difficult and there was little or no contact with the people who had been motivated enough to provide it.

The report concluded: “There are obvious benefits to the scheme, but it must be properly resourced and there should be clarity on how and when submitted footage will be used.”

Eyers agrees that resourcing is an issue, despite the National Dash Cam Safety Portal reducing the amount of time it takes police to process clips. Nextbase estimates it saves an average of eight-10 hours of police time for each case.

“If resources could improve in the future then the police could potentially increase the number of prosecutions that result from them,” said Eyers.

Responding to findings of the HMICFRS report, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for roads policing, Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, said: “Forces are working hard to target those who use our roads dangerously or to commit crime, but we know there is more to do.”

FLEET BENEFITS

The presence of vehicle technology in general has increased significantly in the past decade, with telematics now said to be in more than 60% of commercial vehicles.

“This data can be used effectively to improve driver performance and reduce claims costs by identifying higher risk drivers so interventions can be provided to change driver behaviours and reduce risk,” explained Jon Dye, director of underwriting for Motor at QBE Europe.

“Now we see technologies merging together to the new trend of video telematics. This provides the fleet with a single box solution, and for the insurer it provides a wealth of valuable data for risk management and claims purposes.

“The hope is that as the use of the technology improves, we can drive down the frequency and severity of claims.”

Dashcams have fundamentally changed the way motor claims can be handled. Dye said: “In the past, we had to take the driver’s word for what happened in an incident, which presents challenges. We were often confronted with a pencil sketch of road layouts and positions of third-party vehicles, which also had its challenges.”

Dashcam footage, however, allows insurers to view the incident exactly as it happened, applying the industry’s technical expertise to consider road conditions, speed of travel, visibility, reactions and behaviour of drivers.

“This is factual primary evidence which enables us to make accurate and fair liability decisions,” said Dye. “Dashcam footage also provides additional insights such as parties involved, passenger numbers and speed of impact so we can consider injury likelihood and extent which gives us an added layer of counter-fraud claims management.

“In seconds, we can often see exactly what happened and who was at fault, which means we can settle claims significantly faster and, therefore, at less cost.”

By using video telematics technology, Dye says QBE’s customers also raise the “effectiveness of their fleet and gain valuable intelligence about their employees’ driving”.

“This can be used to inform driver training, improve fuel economy, reduce wear, reduce accident risk and enhance productivity.”

Furthermore, it can be reflected in lower premiums, bringing additional savings to a fleet’s bottom line. By Graham Hill thanks to Commercial Fleet

Thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles in England and Wales were six times higher in 2019 than the previous year.

Official figures show that last year, almost 13,000 devices were reported stolen, with London particularly badly hit. There were just 2,000-plus thefts in 2018.

Criminals sell the parts as desirable spares or simply for the value of the precious metals they contain – rhodium, palladium and platinum.

Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims, car crime lead for the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), said police were committed to tackling the thefts and the organised gangs behind them.

“Police forces across the country are involved in planning and undertaking intelligence-led operations, at both the regional and national level, to stop converters from being stolen, as we recognise the devastating impact these crimes can have upon the lives of victims,” she told the BBC.

Stolen vehicle recovery expert Tracker suggests that hybrid vehicles are at a particular risk. Clive Wain, head of police liaison at Tracker, explained:

“Plug-in and self-charging hybrid vehicles are a highly desirable target for thieves as their catalytic converters are less corroded than those in petrol and diesel vehicles which rely on them more.”

Wain says that there are simple actions that drivers can take to protect their vehicle, including physical barriers to make thieves think twice before targeting their car.

“Installing an alarm that activates if the vehicle is lifted or tilted are particularly effective and owners should consider investing in a catalytic converter protection device or marking system,” he said.

“Fitting a stolen vehicle recovery device, such as those on offer from Tracker will ensure that if a car is stolen, it will be located and recovered quickly before the essential parts are removed for re-sale.”

Tracker’s top tips for safeguarding your vehicle:

• Park your car in a safe spot – a secure garage is the best option, but a well-lit and overlooked parking spot is also a great – it doesn’t take long to steal a catalytic converter, but it’s certainly not a quiet job so the more visible the car, the better the deterrent.
• Install cameras – Thieves don’t want to be caught on camera. Installing CCTV to keep an eye on your car or parking in areas covered by public CCTV is good protection.
• Install a vehicle tracker system – If a car is stolen, the police are far more likely to be able to find and return it safely if it has a device fitted.

Police forces across the country have also issued the following advice and information to help drivers protect their vehicles:

• Consider installing a Thatcham approved alarm to your vehicle. Ones that activate if your vehicle is lifted or tilted are particularly effective.
• Use a catalytic converter protection device or marking system.Catalytic converters control and convert exhaust emissions from your vehicle into less toxic substances. If yours is stolen, you will know because your vehicle’s engine will sound different. If you suspect your catalytic converter has been stolen, report it immediately by calling 101.

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Road safety charity Brake has welcomed the Government move to introduce life sentences for killer drivers.

The Ministry of Justice originally pledged to introduce the punishment in 2017 and it will form part of major sentencing reforms to be unveiled by the Lord Chancellor in a white paper this week.

Joshua Harris, director of campaigns for Brake, said the charity has long advocated for an overhaul of UK road law to deliver justice for victims and to help keep roads free from dangerous drivers.

He added: “Crash victims have waited three long years for this announcement. Road crime is real crime and it is high-time that the Government, and the law, recognised this.

“Years of Government inaction have added to the suffering of road victims who have not been delivered the justice they, and their loved ones, deserve.

“The Government must now implement these tougher sentences as first priority, delivering on their overdue promise to road crash victims, and then urgently initiate a review of the flawed legal framework for road justice.

“Driving is a privilege not a right and yet our flawed legal system continues to allow convicted dangerous drivers on the roads where they can endanger others.

“We all want safer roads but we will only achieve this if the law treats road crime with the seriousness it deserves.”

The measures around driving include plans to:

• increase the maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving from 14 years to life

• increase the maximum penalty for causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs from 14 years to life

• create a new offence of causing serious injury by careless driving.

Paul Loughlin, senior associate solicitor at Stephensons, said:“The impact of dangerous and careless driving often has far reaching consequences, not only for those involved but also for their families and friends.

“Much of the criticism surrounding legislation in this area is that it doesn’t provide sufficient justice for those who are killed as a result of dangerous driving, or those seriously injured as a result.

“These proposals would transform the sentencing guidelines for this offence and go a long way to redress the balance for victims.

“On the flip side, we have often seen prosecutors taking a harder line in cases where there has been a serious injury and the driving standard would ordinarily be considered to be ‘careless’ rather than ‘dangerous’.

“The absence of the ability to charge with causing serious injury through careless driving has seen inconsistent charging decisions being made to plug a gap.

“There are clear examples of cases being ‘bumped up’ from a straight forward careless driving charge to the more serious charge of causing serious injury through dangerous driving with more emphasis being placed on the extent of the injury caused, irrespective of the fact that the standard of driving would ordinarily be considered to be ‘careless’.

“The introduction of this new offence should more suitably plug that gap and ensure more appropriate charges being laid for this type of offence.”

Department for Transport figures show 1,748 people were killed on the roads of Great Britain last year, a figure which has flatlined since 2012 when 1,754 people were killed. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Two major electric vehicle charging hubs have opened at railway stations in Hatfield and Norton.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps opened a Pod Point-installed hub with 27 charge points at Hatfield Station, while RAW Charging has completed installation of 26 smart charging points at the new Worcestershire Parkway Railway Station in Norton.

The installation at Hatfield station marks a milestone in a wide-ranging station improvements programme being undertaken by Govia Thameslink Railway, which encompasses more than 230 stations and over 1,000 individual projects.

In partnership with Pod Point, Hatfield’s new hub has been opened to meet the increasing consumer demand for electric vehicles, while also demonstrating the company’s commitment to sustainability.

The EV installation at Hatfield – which sees a 150% in public EV charging devices in the Welwyn Hatfield district – will provide additional accessibility and convenience for customers using the Great Northern and Thameslink station.

As part of the project, 12 charging points have also been installed at Haywards Heath station.

Shapps said: “We’re taking great strides towards our goal of having one of the best electric vehicle infrastructure networks in the world.

“This means a network for current and future electric vehicle drivers that is affordable, reliable, accessible and secure.

“Today’s landmark announcement ticks all those boxes and will make journeys on road and rail much greener for local residents, commuters and businesses.”

The Worcestershire Parkway station was opened to increase connectivity to London, the Midlands and South Wales and is the county’s first new railway station for more than 100 years.

Neil Broadbank, key account manager at RAW, said: “We approached the project two-fold: initially by installing a larger number of charging points to meet future demand, rather than installing on a reactive basis; and secondly, configuring and trialling the combination of several different pricing and access structures on the ChargePoint platform.

“For example, we have looked at standard per kWh fees, combined with parking fees, flat rates or connection fees for extended periods of time; and different rates for customers, different groups of chargers on site, and lots of other options, all of which can be run simultaneously and changed or scheduled remotely.

Using the same EV charging platform that is tried and tested by some of the world’s largest organisations provided GWR with the comfort that this new ‘critical infrastructure’ operated without a hitch from the start.”

In another project, Swarco eVolt has installed six charging stations at a new charging hub at Strathclyde Country Park, just outside Glasgow, for Project PACE.

Project PACE represents an EV Strategic Partnership and a new collaboration approach between the Scottish Government and SP Energy Network to test a new, more efficient approach to planning and delivering EV charging infrastructure.

It is being facilitated by North and South Lanarkshire Councils which will benefit from Transport Scotland’s £5.3m funding and receive 40 new charging hubs by April 2021, starting with Strathclyde Country Park.

Project PACE is expected to deliver almost 180 new public EV charge points which will join the ChargePlace Scotland network.

The charge points will be supplied, installed and maintained by Swarco eVolt under a framework agreement that was awarded in July.

Justin Meyer, general manager of Swarco eVolt, said: “From a driver’s perspective, the network of charging hubs will provide multiple charge points at each well-chosen location, including our rapid chargers.

“This will provide better access to charging with less waiting time, which in turn radically improves the customer experience and enjoyment of driving an EV.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Highways England has launched a new anti-tailgating campaign to encourage drivers to keep a safe distance from the car in front.

The company is using the well-known Space Invader video game character to alert drivers to the anti-social nature and risks of tailgating, and to give the message: Stay safe, stay back.

Mark Byard, director of Health, Safety and Wellbeing at Highways England, said: “We’ve got used to social distancing during the pandemic. Now we’re reminding you to also keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

“Good drivers leave plenty of safe space for themselves and others. But driving too close is dangerous, can be intimidating and can cause collisions that could be avoided.

“We want everyone to travel safely, so we can all get home safe and well. Our advice is simple: stay safe, stay back.”

Tailgating is a factor in around one in eight casualties on England’s motorways and major A roads, with more than 130 people killed or seriously injured in incidents involving people driving too close in 2018.

While a small minority of tailgating is deliberate, Highways England says most is unintentional by drivers who are simply unaware they are dangerously invading someone else’s space.

And a survey for Highways England found that while more than a quarter of drivers admitted to tailgating, nearly nine in 10 people say they have either been tailgated or seen it.

The Highway Code states that drivers should allow at least a two second gap between you and the vehicle in front on roads carrying faster-moving traffic, and the gap should be at least doubled on wet roads and increased further on icy roads or when visibility is poor. Dependant on the vehicle type, a greater distance may be necessary.

Tailgating is an offence of driving without due care and attention, carrying a minimum £100 fine and penalty points and in some cases more severe penalties or court appearance. But more so, it is unsafe, and a factor in around one in eight road casualties.

Katie Shephard, corporate partnership manager at Brake, added: “Brake is pleased to support the campaign Highways England are running to raise awareness about the dangers of tailgating.  We work with families affected by road crashes and know first-hand the vital importance of all drivers taking care and being safe on the road.”

The campaign is also supported by the Professional Recovery Operators Federation (PROF).

Further results from the survey show more than two thirds of people think tailgating is a serious problem and that more can be done to tackle poor driver behaviour, with almost 80% agreeing that they would favour a clampdown on drivers who drive too close to the vehicle in front.

If you are tailgated, Highways England advises that you avoid speeding up, slowing down or staring in the rear-view mirror. It says reduce the risk to yourself by driving normally, signalling clearly and allowing people to overtake. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Government has launched a consultation to decide how it will stop vehicles from blocking pavements.

It outlines three options: improving the traffic regulation order process to make it easier for councils to prohibit pavement parking in their areas, giving councils powers to fine drivers who park on paths, and a London-style nationwide ban on pavement parking.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced the plans in March. The proposals are designed to improve the lives of people with mobility or sight impairments, as well as parents with prams who may be forced into the road to get around parked cars.

Shapps said: “Parking on pavements means wheelchair users, visually impaired people and parents with push chairs can be forced into the road, which is not only dangerous, but discourages people from making journeys.

“A key part of our green, post-Covid recovery will be encouraging more people to choose active travel, such as walking, so it is vital that we make the nation’s pavements accessible for everyone.”

Recent research from the charity Guide Dogs shows that 32% of people with vision impairments and 48% of wheelchair users were less willing to go out on their own because of pavement parking, decreasing independence and contributing towards isolation.

In 2019 the Department for Transport concluded a review which looked at the problems caused by pavement parking, the effectiveness of legislation, and the case for reform.

It found that pavement parking was problematic for 95% of respondents who are visually impaired and 98% of wheelchair users.

The Transport Select Committee also recently conducted an inquiry into the issue, with the commitment to consult on proposals forming a key part of the Government’s response to its findings.

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “Blocking pavements impacts most on those with disabilities and those pushing buggies and creates unnecessary danger for pedestrians. In short, nobody should be forced into stepping into the road to get around a vehicle that has taken up pavement space, so the Government is right to explore giving local authorities additional powers to enforce this types of selfish parking.

“However, outlawing pavement parking as a whole is more complex because not all streets in the UK are the same. For example, some drivers will put a tyre up the kerb on a narrow residential street to avoid restricting road access to other vehicles while still allowing plenty of space for pedestrian access. Therefore better guidance and a definition of what is and isn’t appropriate would be a more practical solution, rather than an outright ban.”

The consulation can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/managing-pavement-parking?s=03

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News