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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

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

Poor car seats are causing more than a third of UK drivers to take one day off work a year for back pain, costing more than £8.8 billion annually in lost productivity.

 

The findings, from exclusive research by Volvo Car UK, show that 12% of respondents have taken up to two days off work for back pain from poor quality car seats, while 13% have had to ask up to four days of sick leave from their employer.

 

Meanwhile, one in 20 (5%) have had to have a full working week off, while another 5% have asked for seven or more days of rest.

 

If this was reflected across the whole driving population, Volvo suggests that back pain resulting from poor car seats is costing the UK economy £8.8 billion in lost productivity.

 

The pain from poor car seats is bad enough for nearly a third of drivers to see a doctor or physiotherapist, costing the NHS £191.94 million in GP appointments and hospital visits, it says.

 

The findings were revealed during Backcare Awareness Week.

 

Kristian Elvefors, Volvo Car UK’s managing director, said: “Back pain from poor quality car seats is a bigger problem than many think.

 

“Not only is it costing the UK economy billions in lost productivity as employees take sick leave, but poor quality car seats are also placing an unnecessary burden on the NHS, costing hospitals and GP surgeries hundreds of millions a year.

 

“Volvo is committed to ensuring that all of its customers, regardless of shape or size, find the seats in their car incredibly comfortable and pain-free.”

 

Men are more likely to find the seats in their car uncomfortable, with 15% of male drivers saying their car seats often cause them back pain when driving for work purposes.

 

Half the men surveyed admitted to taking at least one day off work for back pain from driving, while only 25% of women had to call their employer for sick leave.

 

Men were also more likely to see a doctor for back pain, with 40% doing so, while just one-in-five women found the seats in their car so bad they had to go to a GP or physiotherapist.

 

However, the research found men drive on average more than women, with men covering on average 60 miles a day, while women drive just 30.

 

Volvo was one of the first car makers to incorporate spinal research into its seat design, starting with the Volvo Amazon in 1965.

 

Today, Volvo has a three-tier approach to seat comfort, focusing on Initial Comfort, Cruising Comfort and Dynamic Comfort – to ensure drivers and passengers remain relaxed and fully supported throughout their journey, regardless of the length or type of road.

 

Tommy Apell, senior attribute leader for seat comfort at Volvo Cars, said: “At Volvo, we specifically opt to use softer foam compounds for our seats to ensure the fit is comfortable across all body shapes and sizes.

 

“We also specially tune our seat springs for improved comfort, with the ergonomics team working alongside designers to ensure things like seat stitching don’t create pressure points for drivers and passengers.

 

“Our lengthy development and testing programme means new seats take up to five years to move from concept to finished product.”

 

According to Volvo Car UK, seat comfort is a key priority for 63% of UK drivers, with nearly one-in-five going as far as swapping a previous car for a model with better seats.

 

More than one-in-10 drivers also admitted they had passengers refuse to get in their car because their seats were so uncomfortable.

 

When asked which areas they would like to see improved, the majority of drivers wanted more lumbar (lower back) support, while a third wanted more adjustability to suit their frames. By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

GEM Motoring Assist has suggested the current eyesight tests for drivers are ‘long out of date’, with the road safety organisation calling for tests every 10 years.

 

Neil Worth, GEM’s road safety officer, has said the Government should update laws to ensure a detailed eye examination is part of drivers’ photocard licence renewal process, which takes place every 10 years.

 

Worth said more than 3,000 fatal and serious injury collisions occur each year because of poor vision.

 

He added: “We believe it is entirely practical and sensible to require a test of visual acuity and field of view every 10 years, something that would fit in with licence renewal.

 

“Tests of this kind would not only make our roads safer, saving lives, disability and many millions of pounds through the reduction in the number of crashes, but they would also play a vital role valuable tool in the early diagnosis of many other costly medical conditions, irrespective of driving.”

 

GEM has worked with Felicity Gill, a community optometrist, who explained that she sees patients daily who are concerned about their own driving, as well astheir friends and family members’ driving experiences.

 

The most common ageing change in the eye is cataract (clouding of the lens inside the eye), with conditions such as diabetes/diabetic eye disease, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration also causing concern.

 

With drivers staying on the road to their 80s, GEM believes that regular eyesights should be mandatory.

 

Worth concluded: “There are many benefits for a driver to staying mobile as long as possible. However, safety must remain the number one priority for everyone.

 

“We also cannot ignore the greater volume of traffic and the general increase in distractions, both inside and outside the vehicle, which further point to the clear need for more regular and detailed eyesight testing.”  By Graham Hill & Fleet News

Official DVSA statistics show vast number of dangerous vehicles have deemed dangerous since the updated MoT was introduced.

 

Almost three million vehicles have failed their MoTs as a result of ‘dangerous’ defects, with the updated MoT test revealing the true extent of how badly maintained almost 10 per cent of Britain’s cars are.

 

The MoT test underwent one of the most significant shake-ups in its 59-year history in May 2018, when new defect categories (Minor, Major and Dangerous) and fresh checks were brought in.

 

Official data from the 12 months since those changes were introduced has revealed that 2,952,487 of the 31,285,618 vehicles submitted for their MoT failed last year due to defects that were classified as Dangerous. That means 9.4 per cent of vehicles tested had a fault that posed “a direct and immediate risk to road safety” or “a serious impact on the environment.”

 

The vast majority (29,537,183) of the vehicles tested were cars, with 2,769,081 (9.37 per cent) failing due to a Dangerous defect. Such faults include missing brake pads, twisted steering shafts, and exhausts that are “likely to become detached.”

 

Precisely a third of all cars submitted for their MoT in the 12 months since the test changed failed due to Major or Dangerous faults, far higher than the 17 per cent of failing motorbikes, and 29.7 per cent of minibuses. Worryingly, though, 40.9 per cent of goods vehicles with a weight of between two and 37 tonnes failed their test, with over 13 per cent doing so because of a Dangerous fault.

 

And officials from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which is responsible for administering the MoT, are concerned that the number of vehicles with dangerous faults is likely to be even higher.

 

Neil Barlow, the DVSA’s head of vehicle engineering explained: “With a quarter of cars turning up late for MOT every year, that means there are lots of potentially dangerous vehicles badly in need of inspection.”

 

“We urge people to sign up to our free MOT reminder service so they get their MOTs done on time, helping keep Britain’s roads safe.”

 

The most common cause of an MoT failure in the 12 months from May 2018 were problems with suspension components (these caused 18.3 per cent of failures), followed by issues with lights and electrical equipment (14.9 per cent) and brake problems (8.8 per cent).

 

Vehicle type	Number tested	Failure rate	Number of ‘Dangerous’ defects	Percentage with Dangerous defects
Motorbikes	951,777	17 per cent	48,886	5.14 per cent
Cars	29,537,183	33.3 per cent	2,769,081	9.37 per cent
Minibuses	47,605	29.7 per cent	3,623	7.61 per cent
Goods vehicles	749,053	40.9 per cent	100,897	13.46 per cent
Total	31,285,618	33.01 per cent	2,952,487	9.43 per cent

 

By Graham Hill, Thanks To AutoExpress

Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps is apparently set to finally agree to increase the speed limit to 80mph. The issue has caused disagreement from all quarters over the years resulting in the decision being kicked into the long grass. But the entrance of a new argument has caused the issue to be raised again and look like the new limit may finally be adopted.

 

The new entrant into the equation is the increase in electric cars now using the motorways. One of the main reasons for not adopting the increased speed limit was the amount of extra CO2 spewed out by petrol and diesel cars at higher speeds. But this argument falls away as electric cars increase.

 

The other major argument is safety. The public and safety groups fear that accidents will increase if the limit is increased. But this ignores the fact that our motorways are the safest roads in the UK whilst being the fastest so the logical conclusion is that speed cannot be the biggest contributing factor to accidents.

 

Motorways are built for high speed, they are generally better maintained, straighter with fewer hills to climb. So an increase of 10mph will make motorways no more dangerous. Accidents on motorways are more often down to weather conditions such as snow, ice, fog, rain and wind rather than driving too fast.

 

Modern cars have masses of safety equipment fitted, set to increase next year as a result of EU rules making it compulsory for more safety equipment to be fitted as standard next year. The real problem is poor driving competency, driving too close to cars in front, how to handle aquaplaning and which way to steer when the rear tyres lose all grip.

 

With new smart motorways doing away with hard shoulders and even those with hard shoulders confusing drivers who are unaware of the rules if you break down, safety campaigners should concentrate on education rather than fighting an increase in speed limit. Over to you Mr Shapps – let’s get this done?  By Graham Hill

The Transport Select Committee calls for ‘nationwide ban’ on pavement parking to prevent pedestrians from being put in danger.

 

Drivers should be banned from parking on pavements so that pedestrians are not put in danger and vulnerable people, such as the elderly and the disabled, don’t feel trapped in their homes, MPs have said.

 

A Transport Select Committee report has concluded that the Government should implement a ‘nationwide ban’ on pavement parking across England, with room in the legislation for the Secretary of State for Transport to allow local authorities to make exemptions in their respective areas.

 

The report argues that pavement parking places pedestrians in danger from moving traffic or trip hazards, such as a kerb, by forcing them to step into the road to get around stationary vehicles. People with mobility issues or visual impairment and their carers are “disproportionately affected” by this.

 

In addition, the Committee says pavement parking exacerbates or can be a cause of social isolation and loneliness, as it makes vulnerable people feel unable to safely leave their homes or physically prevents them from doing so altogether in some cases.

 

The report took aim at the Government, with the Committee finding it “profoundly regrettable” that no “concrete actions” have yet been taken to tackle the issue of pavement parking.

 

At present, pavement parking is banned in London and Scotland is considering following suit. In 2015, the Government said it would look at the issue in England, but the resulting consultations and reviews did nothing to improve the situation.

 

Lillian Greenwood MP, chair of the Transport Select Committee, commented: “We are deeply concerned about the Government’s failure to act on this issue, despite long-standing promises to do so.

 

“We appreciate that this is a thorny problem that may be difficult to resolve to the satisfaction of all, but the Government’s inaction has left communities blighted by unsightly and obstructive pavement parking and individuals afraid or unable to leave their homes or safely navigate the streets.

 

“Scotland is currently legislating for a national ban, while London took action to tackle this issue 45 years ago. The Government must act to improve the situation in the rest of England and it must do so quickly.”

 

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: “We are committed to ensuring that our roads work for everyone, but are aware that pavement parking can cause real problems for a variety of road users. This is why the Department recently concluded a review to better understand the case for changing the law, and will be announcing our next steps over the coming months.” By Graham Hill with thanks to AutoExpress