New changes to the driving test are being rolled out across test centres all over the UK. These measures are seen to make the test more up to date with common driving habits, such as being able to operate a satellite navigation and driving with one.
The Government are now looking to introduce further measures on top of existing regulations to reduce the amount of accidents by learner drivers. Because of these changes, are we going to see fewer novice drivers on UK roads than ever before?
Questions about novice drivers
A recent question at Prime Minister’s Questions queried the possibility of a graduated license system being brought in here in the UK. This came after new figures show that 25% of new drivers are involved in an accident in their first two years of driving. The report also showed that some 400 novice drivers are killed, or seriously injured, on the roads each year.
In response, the PM admitted that it highlighted an important issue and that the government would be considering it. Currently, there are regulations where if a driver gets six points on their license, within two years of passing their test, then they are banned from driving, versus 12 points for experienced drivers. However, the UK does not place restrictions on novice drivers in any way and is the only western country not to do this.
Graduated licenses proposed
The concept of graduated licenses is not a new one with previous research showing it could save up to 4,471 casualties a year and some £224 million in costs. Research conducted by the Department of Transport proposed a training regime could include 100 hours of supervised daytime driving and 20 hours of night-time driving before sitting any practical and theory tests.
Following this, the novice driver would be ‘on probation’ for 12 months. It would mean using a ‘P’ plate compulsorily and you would not be allowed to drive between 10 pm, and 5 am unless supervised by someone over the age of 30. It would also include a ban on carrying passengers that are under the age of 30, and even having lower or zero alcohol limits for novice drivers.
Restrictions around the world
Many other countries already use similar schemes. In New Zealand, restrictions are even tighter, and there is a three-stage system that drivers must go through. There’s a learner license, a novice license (where you must score 32 out of 35 on a theory test) and then supervised L plates.
Then the learner driver must learn for six months before sitting a 45-minute restricted driving test. Once passed, they can drive between 5 am and 10 pm or outside these times if supervised. They are not permitted to get behind the wheel with a trace of alcohol in their system until they are 20. Finally, there’s a 30-minute practical test, once you have held a restricted license for 3-18 months and taken the advanced drivers course.
Other examples of restrictions in New Zealand include lower speed limits, the engine size of the car they car drive and the power output of the vehicle.
Welcoming change
A RAC spokesperson, Pete Williams, said the group ‘welcomed’ the plans to look at the novice driver system having requested it themselves in past years. Studies also show that novice drivers themselves feel ill-equipped for life as a solo driver with 35% of them saying the driving test does not cover the skills to cope with everyday driving.
Many people do not learn to drive due to the rising cost of running your own vehicle– these additional restrictions may lower insurance premiums. The hope would be that the graduated license system could see insurance premiums drop, for that restricted period allowing novice drivers to build their no claim bonus before they are ‘fully qualified’ drivers.
Are fewer drivers a growing trend?
However, the fact is, with more restrictions in place to drive and the growth of self-driving cars, are fewer people even going to bother to learn to drive in future anyway? Public transport in the cities is improving, ride sharing is growing fast and delivery services mean almost anything can be delivered to your door. The urge to drive your own car could fade away the same as the urge to ride a horse. Moreover, although it could lead to less congested, quieter roads in the short term, it may be replaced by more autonomous vehicles so no real difference anyway.
What do you think of this proposed new system, is it long overdue? What would you suggest as a change to the law that strikes more of a balance between new and existing drivers to reduce accidents and congestion? Let us know in the comments below
Local councils, strapped for cash, are seeking new ways to generate money – by slapping fines on motorists for minor offences. West Midlands mayor, Andy Street, has written to the government to change regulations and give local authorities the power to fine drivers for a range of minor offences, currently in the hands of the police outside London.
Costly mistakes
Councils want to be able to punish drivers for violations that include stopping in box junctions, illegal U-turns and stopping in cycle boxes at traffic lights. Those in favour say that councils are better equipped to find and track down offenders, and then collect the fines, rather than placing the burden on the police, who are facing a shortage of road police officers at the moment.
However, campaigners are concerned that local authorities are merely trying to squeeze more money out of drivers to deal with the problems they are having with their budgets. Currently, everywhere apart from London and Cardiff see ‘moving traffic restrictions’ handled by the police except for bus lanes. The Local Government Association (LGA) and the West Midlands mayor are among those campaigning for a change and broader powers.
Increasing income
The LGA wants to see more cameras at box junctions, junctions, and cycle lanes to create revenue that would go back into the road network. They also say they are losing money due to cuts in road traffic officer numbers, meaning people are getting away with more than they did before.
The AA has raised concerns that councils would issue penalties to raise cash to fill holes in their budgets. They described the record of enforcement for some councils as ‘atrocious’ including the use of signs and road markings mean that drivers are often penalised for being in the wrong position due to a lack of understanding of the road layout. An example came from Preston where bus lane restrictions were re-enforced and generated £115,000 in fines in a single week.
Police powers
Roads minister, Mr Jesse Norman, confirmed that Parliament had received a written question from the LGA, which represents some 18 local authorities and the West Midlands Combined Authority.
The letter called for powers for councils, under the Traffic Management Act 2004, based on the efforts to ‘manage traffic contraventions and reduce congestion’ with authorities also raising the issue at regular engagement meetings.
However, Mr Norman rejected the pleas, saying that the necessary powers to act where needed were already in place and that the government had no plans to change the legislation. LGA spokesman, Martin Tett, said that the organisation would continue to press for reform claiming that it would allow councils to ‘tackle impatient drivers who break the law and put others at risk’ with the aim of shaving seconds off their journey.
Christmas gloom
An example of councils making income from drivers committing minor infringements came about on Christmas Day – the one day of the year when public transport does not run, and many drivers think it is okay to use bus lanes.
Sheffield was one of the worst with 141 drivers receiving a fine of £30 which increased to £60 if they did not pay it within 14 days. Leicester City Council fined another 46 motorists for using a single stretch of a bus lane.
Perhaps the worst story was Lee Williamson who pulled over to give some clothes and food to a homeless man on Christmas Day – and received a £70 fine from the council for his charity. The penalty has since been revoked after a huge public outcry.
Surprisingly expensive
If the LGA do get their way, the cost of such errors can be extortionate for drivers. For example, stopping in a yellow box if you are not turning right, can cost you £70 outside London and up to £130 within the capital. A bus lane infringement can cost you up to £90, if you do not pay within 28 days of receiving the notice, meaning drivers could be seeing more and more letters coming through the door demanding money if the LGA get their way.
Overall, drivers in Britian probably get away with a fair few minor motoring offences
Do you think that the LGA should be dealing with minor motoring offences? What side do you stand on? Let us know in the comments below
In the digital age, you can order pretty much anything online to be sent to your home, but one exception has always been ordering fuel for your car parked at home or work. Well, that has now all changed with the launch of Zebra Fuel.
Zebra Fuel is a digital petrol station, delivering fuel directly to your car when you need it. Just log into the app, and with three clicks you can set a time for a specialist driver to come and give you fuel, while you carry on with your day.
The service has launched in South West London, regarded as an ideal location due to petrol stations closing down replaced by housing, road congestion getting to and from a station as well as sacrificing a precious parking space to fill up only to find it full when you come back. The convenience of a service that comes and fills up your parked car is ideally suited to London.
A Zebra Fuel co-founder revealed the experience that prompted him to start the company.
“My moment of clarity came when I was driving in Central London one day when I ran out of fuel. I turned on WAZE, found the nearest petrol station which was on Park Lane, and somehow crawled there on fumes. So I filled up my car, and it came to £76. (My car usually costs £60-£65 to fill.)
I thought the meter on the pump was faulty. The cashier said: ‘No, this is one of the most expensive petrol stations in the UK’ I found myself asking can’t we strip out the costs and inefficiencies of a petrol station and have the fuel come directly to us? That was the moment Zebra Fuel was born.
Zebra Fuel is solving one of the highest pain points in daily life: There is not one person who enjoys filling up their car at a petrol station. It is slow, unpleasant, expensive, dirty and petrol stations can be dangerous places at night. Our customer retention rate is close to 70%. People and businesses are not going back to petrol stations once they start using us.”
History of on-demand fuel
Our world has become a world where people are starting to prefer convenience over experience. While some people may still enjoy the experience of going to fill up, some simply may be too busy and find time increasingly more difficult to allocate, hence the introduction of the on-demand fuel industry.
In 2012, a company called FuelMe was founded in Los Angeles delivering fuel to people who did not have time to fill up at petrol stations. A few years later several brands launched offering the same service in different parts of America, such as Filld.co in San Francisco and Booster Fuels in Denver.
Zebra Fuel is the first digital petrol station in the UK, currently focused on London only, but it is expected that this will be the beginning of a new wave of brands that deliver the same service, in much the same way that UBER changed the way people ordering a taxi across the UK.
Why is it happening now?
The fuel retail market is likely to undergo many changes in the coming years, with a changing economic climate, a government push towards electric and new fuel pricing strategies, the next 20 years leading up to the planned petrol/diesel ban of 2040 will no doubt be hard. However, we may begin to see a decline in traditional petrol stations sooner than some think and a rebirth of the way that people buy fuel will change.
For example, we are likely to see the rise of intraday pricing, i.e. where the price fluctuates through the course of the day, in the UK allowing more price flexibility at the forecourt, which is a concept already adopted by some on the continent. In Germany prices at one station can change ten times in a day.
Disruption in the petrol retail market through electric, driverless and connected cars, intra day pricing and on-demand fuel brands like Zebra Fuel are going to mean a lot of change in the next five years, and most of it is beneficial to the consumer.
Key benefits of Zebra Fuel
Zebra Fuel delivers fuel to your vehicle when you choose. You just go through a short process on the app and set a time, and you get your car filled up without having to worry about it. By checking the app, you can see the van and when it is going to arrive and fill up. Zebra Fuel also does deliveries throughout the night, so you can wake up in the morning and drive straight to work on a full tank!
Zebra Fuel is based in the heart of London, allowing driving commuters to fill up during their working day without having worry about getting fuel at rush hour, or when they want to spend time with their family.
The whole process happens on an app which remembers you and your vehicle, so no need to use a computer and having to worry about it affecting your work. The app takes less than 5 minutes to go through so can be done on a lunch or coffee break.
Zebra Fuel is for both consumers and businesses, so if you need to fill up a fleet of cars, or just your own, no need to worry just let Zebra Fuel handle it! At the moment you can only get diesel, but Zebra Fuel is working on petrol and electric charge options that will be live soon.
The prices are low, probably lower than your average cost per litre! All that comes on top of that is a small delivery fee, which is a less than the total savings of the fuel cost.
So why Diesel and London only?
A spokesman for Zebra Fuel told us “We are testing the market with diesel deliveries – from a regulatory perspective this made the most sense. However, we will be delivering other types of fuel very soon. Electric and Petrol are coming, watch this space!”
Zebra Fuel has also confirmed that they plan to launch ZebraBio, a Zebra Fuel exclusive eco-friendly clean diesel that will help to reduce emissions. They are beta testing petrol and electric and plan to bring out hydrogen when the technology becomes more widespread.
Zebra Fuel also told us “We picked London for our launch because so many petrol stations have been and still are closing down all over the city, causing additional congestion. Zebra’s service reduces road congestion: When you take a driver who’s going to the petrol station in central London, they are adding two trips to the total number of trips made in the city that day.
They are probably driving out of his way to the petrol station; they are queuing up, almost certainly with their engine running, and creating a tailback that can have an impact miles away – across town even. So Zebra Fuel eliminates two journeys with one of our drivers. We wanted to test the London market and then scale using London learnings. We plan on launching Paris Q4 2018, and we will be in 4 major European cities by Q2 2019.”
Exclusive Zebra Fuel member offer
PetrolPrices are delighted to be working with Zebra Fuel to help promote their amazing service to members. Zebra Fuel is the first digital petrol station to appear on the PetrolPrices map within London represented as a van icon. By clicking on the van you are not only presented with the price of fuel grades on offer, you can also download the Zebra Fuel app from the map.
Zebra Fuel will also be visible in the regular price alert emails to those who live within the London area with a Zebra price listing and members can click from the price alert to download the app here too. PetrolPrices has also managed to agree to an exclusive member offer, those who sign up to Zebra Fuel, download the app and use the code PP20 will receive £20 worth of free fuel for the first two fills, i.e. £10 off each fill.
Don’t forget to use code PP20 when you sign up.
Please note: Zebra Fuel only currently operates in South and West London, do not try to sign up and use them if you are not located in this area.
Everything to do with the roads seems to be getting the ‘smart’ treatment of late – smart motorways, smart cars. Now cats eyes are the latest part of the road network to get the smart treatment with the introduction of smart cat’s eyes, which are being tested in collision hotspots to try and cut down on the number of accidents.
Intelligent cat’s eyes
The new intelligent cat’s eyes will light up in response to changing traffic lights and make major roundabouts look more like airport runways. It is the first time they are being considered for use in this way and are aimed at improving road safety, according to Highways England.
Some 170 of them are being used on Switch Island in Merseyside where the M57, M58 and three A roads all come together, as part of a £3 million project to improve the area. These new ‘road studs’ will be used to help 90,000 motorists manage the confusion of roundabouts. Cables will be laid beneath the road surface to connect the studs to the traffic lights via an automatic controller unit.
Cats eyes in action
When the traffic light turns green, the LED lights will be used to separate the lanes for the flow of traffic. This helps stop drivers crossing the white lines as they manage their way around the multiple exit roundabout.
The provider of the system, Clearview Intelligence, says that the studs are visible around 1,000 metres away and have already proven to reduce accidents in locations around the country where they are being used. In fact, collisions at some of the junctions have been reduced by up to 50%, the company said.
The system is already in use in Hindhead Tunnel, in Surrey, to help guide drivers through the tunnel. The A2-A20 junction in Kent along with the A41 in the Wirral and the Sheriffhall roundabout in Edinburgh have also been fitted with them, to help improve safety. Highways England are aiming for improved journeys and better safety for drivers with the new systems.
Runway roads
The idea of creating runway style roads is part of the government’s program of congestion relief which is due to start this month and has £220 million in funding. It is expected to take around 12 months to complete, in the Merseyside site, and vastly improve the situation – with 49 accidents in the last two years, it averages one every fortnight.
New traffic lights will also be installed to work with the smart road studs, set at a higher location so HGV and bus drivers can see them easier.
Cats eyes or road studs?
You may also notice another change taking place – cats eyes have undergone a rebranding and are now being called road studs. The reason for this is twofold, both quite amusing for drivers. Firstly, tourists are confused by the term and don’t understand warning signs such as ‘warning cat’s eyes removed’ when driving around the UK.
The other reason is that children were worried as they thought they were real cat’s eyes being embedded in the roads – hands up if you remember thinking that when you were a kid?
Most of us probably did because cats eyes have been around that long. The first ones were made back in 1933 by a man called Percy Shaw. He was driving along a West Yorkshire road and saw his lights reflected in the eyes of a cat walking alongside the road. He instantly realised their potential for road safety and came up with the device we are all familiar with. Cats eyes have been noted as one of the top 10 most iconic designs that the UK has ever created!
So, cat’s eyes are being renamed as road studs and smart road studs to help tourists feel more at ease on UK roads, and to stop children having sleepless nights over the mistreated cats! However, for most of us, they will remain cat’s eyes, no matter how smart they become.
What do you think about the new cats eyes? Do you think they will help?
Every week there seems to be a news story about how prices are rising for motorists, whether this is fuel, fees, tax or insurance, and this has now reached the point where many drivers may not be able to afford to drive at all this year.
A survey by comparethemarket.com has found that 1 in 5 drivers have said that they may have to sell their car in 2018 due to not being able to afford the costs associated with running it, which equates to around 7 and a half million drivers in the UK.
The inflated cost of car insurance seems to be one of the most significant issues. The cost of car insurance has hit a record level which is pushing many motorists to the breaking point. It has been rising steadily for a while now, and the average annual premium is £758, which is up £43 year on year, causing 52% of people to say that they may need to give up their car.
55% of drivers are also saying that rising petrol prices and the cost of car repairs are becoming too high for them to afford, with an average of £342 being spent on garage bills in the last 12 months with 1 in 10 paying up to £1000.
Avoid high repair bills
One of the ways that high car repair bills can be avoided is to ensure that you do your research before committing to getting your car fixed somewhere, and get a second opinion before going ahead with any repairs. Recently in the news, there was a story of a girl who was nearly charged over £600 to fix her air conditioning that her car did not even have. When she got a second opinion, the garage discovered it was a different fault, but the risk still ran that she could have been charged for something that she did not have. As 38% of drivers said that they have a knowledge gap about their car which is preventing them from being cost-efficient, it seems that this is one area that many people could improve in.
In fact, 43% of drivers are aware that they are not cost efficient when it comes to their cars for some reasons, but there are a few other ways in which people can stay on top of the things which can impact on the cost of running a car.
Compare and Research
For example, always research and compare car insurance quotes when your premium is up for renewal and don’t automatically accept the quote from your current insurance company as this may not necessarily be your cheapest option. Check for no claims discounts and shop around. Don’t be afraid to barter between two companies to lower your price.
You may also benefit from looking into having a black box installed in your car to bring your insurance premium down, especially if you are a young driver looking to cut costs. Some insurance companies are also offering black boxes for drivers of any age, and it can help to lower your insurance costs and provide money-saving tips.
The main worry that has been stated by Simon McCulloch, Commercial Director at comparethemarket.com is that if the cost of owning a car continues to rise it may put the brakes on car ownership in the UK. In the long run, the rising costs would be bad news for the economy as many people need their car to be able to get around, whether to work or to take the kids out.
How PetrolPrices.com can help
As well as researching garages and insurance quotes when required, you can save money by ensuring that you always fill up your tank with the cheapest fuel available to you, and we can help you with that.
We find and publish the lowest fuel prices in each area of the country with 98% of stations being updated daily, so you know that you are always receiving the most up to date information for your particular location. You can get a price alert for your area via email as well.
In our basic plan, which is free, we have limited searches and limited prices alerts, but for just £2 a month with Plus you can get a route planner to find the cheapest fuel on your route, more searches, better searches and so much more information.
Do you find that the cost of driving has risen up? What’s your biggest concern about the expense of motoring? Let us know.
As a motorist it is important to be aware of the speed limit at all times to ensure that you are driving safely and that you are not breaking the law, but there have been a couple of speeding-related stories in the news recently which may change how likely it is that you will get caught if you were to drive a bit too fast. Here at PetrolPrices, we want to keep you informed and updated on all the latest speeding-related stories.
Wear your seatbelt
The first update is less to do with speeding itself and more to do with speed cameras, as more than a third of British police forces have admitted to routinely using mobile speed camera vans to catch people breaking other road laws.
This tactic saw 8000 drivers who were not wearing a seatbelt and 1000 drivers who were using their mobile phone while driving getting fined, with 500 more being caught for unnamed offences in 2016.
With 16 out of 54 police forces using these vans to crack down on motorists, they have been able to dish out £100 fines for not wearing a seatbelt and £100 fines plus 3 penalty points for using a mobile phone behind the wheel (although this has doubled to £200 and 6 points since 2017).
Among the forces who say they routinely use mobile speed camera vans to catch unlawful behaviour are Hampshire, Northumbria, Kent and North Wales, and there are also 4 other forces who say that they use this method occasionally.
Could this revelation be enough to encourage people to wear their seatbelts and not use their phones whilst driving due to the fear of being caught? It is thought that this could be the key to changing drivers’ behaviours, but can this really be more effective than campaigns showing the kinds of horrific crashes that can occur when a motorist is distracted by their phone or not wearing their seatbelt?
Tighter regulations
The topic of scaring people into following road laws has been present in another speed-related story this week as Chief Constable Anthony Bangham came under fire from other police leaders for suggesting that officers should be less lenient on those speeding even 1mph over the limit and that the 10% buffer should be scrapped.
In addition to this it was suggested that he was backing the implementation of websites where people can upload dashcam footage of unsafe drivers to alert the police, causing campaigners to argue that the roads are already covered with CCTV, speed cameras and Automatic Number Plate Recognition Systems and motorists really don’t need to be watched any more closely.
It has also been said that this idea would cause mistrust and suspicion amongst drivers, especially as the UK has the most surveillance cameras in Europe and the network responsible for monitoring motorists takes 40 million photos per day, people do not need to feel like they are being spied on by fellow road users too.
In reaction to Bangham’s claims that officers were not doing enough to enforce speed limits, a speed camera was set up outside his office in Hindlip Hall near Worcester by the Sunday Times to see what kinds of speeds were being driven closer to home.
The results showed that 117 motorists were caught speeding in the 30mph zone within an hour, at a rate of 2 per minute, with a quarter driving between 31 and 35mph and the highest recorded speed was 51mph which shows how much more work would need to go into clamping down on minor speeding offences.
Following this, Chief Constable Anthony Bangham has clarified that his aim of penalising even those going 1mph over the speed limit would not be achievable and has said that it would be suitable on occasions where someone was driving over the limit outside a school for example.
Tickets revoked
It was also revealed in the news that almost a quarter of a million speeding tickets issued in the last year were cancelled. Greater Manchester police revoked 28% of their tickets, West Midlands 21% and Bedfordshire 19%. On the other end of the spectrum, both Staffordshire and North Wales police stood by 99% of their tickets. Gloucestershire Police said that 43% of tickets cancelled were because of officers not being able to trace guilty drivers. Previous Home Office showed that 53% of cars broke motorway speed limits, 53% also breached 30mph areas and a huge 81% went over 20 in a 20mph zone.
With these types of stories highlighting speeding issues and other violations too, hopefully, it will put these factors at the forefront of drivers’ minds so they are less likely to commit them themselves.
Do you think speeding regulations need to be stricter? Would you expect a speed camera to check for seatbelts? Let us know
For people looking to pick up a new car this year, the biggest surprise they may encounter is the cost of the road tax. Even if you go for a new version of the same car, you could see your tax go from zero to as much as £450 a year. German manufactured cars could see a significant increase due to the scrapping of the emissions related system.
Tax bands
This year sees the introduction of the new tax bands system. Currently, the system uses emissions to grade the car based on CO2, with a total of 13 bands across all vehicles. Under the new system, there’s supposedly a simplified three band system.
Under it, cars worth less than £40,000 with zero emissions will pay no tax, which is unchanged from the previous system. Those worth more than £40k will see a surcharge of £310 for the first five years, meaning owners of these vehicles will pay an additional £1,550, dropping to zero tax in the sixth year.
Then it gets complicated. Hybrids and alternative fuel models will be charged £130 while petrol and diesel models will be charged £140 a year. The first year is based on the CO2 emissions. Any vehicle exceeding £40k in value will again see that £310 a year surcharge being added for the first five years.
Cars that have emissions under 50 g/km will pay just £10 tax, while at the other end of the scale, vehicles putting out 255 g/km will be charged £2,000 a year. Alternative fuel models such as hybrids and bioethanol will have £10 cut from the annual cost.
German cars facing increase
The emphasis on real-world emissions, in the wake of the emissions scandal, also means that diesel cars in their first year that fail the new test could see an increase in their road tax band. Any cars failing to meet the new RDE2 emissions tests, from April 2018, will automatically be moved up one band and could mean owners face an extra £500 tax bill.
The new tests are aimed at penalising those high emitting models over rival cars that are less polluting. Any cars built before April 2018 will not face the new charge and tax rates will return to normal after the first year.
More emissions problems
More bad news for the German car manufacturers, especially Volkswagen, came from the new testing system that the industry was employing – on both monkeys and humans. As the testing system came to light, the chief lobbyist for VW has been suspended over his knowledge of the unethical testing.
Tests were conducted in a research institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2014, on behalf of the now-defunct European Research Group on Environment and Health in the Transport Sector (EUGT), which was funded by VW, Daimler and BMW.
The tests involved locking 10 monkeys in an airtight chamber and showing them cartoons while making them breathe the exhaust fumes from a VW Beetle. Another report said that 25 people were given doses of diesel fumes for several hours at a time in a study at Aachen University in Germany in 2012, also sponsored by EUGT.
Unethical and wrong
While these tests were clearly unethical and worrying, they were also creating inaccurate information, according to the reports. VW said that the ‘scientific method chosen was wrong’ while BMW was quick to say they did not ‘influence or design’ the methodology used by EUGT and is against any animal experiments. Daimler said the tests were ‘superfluous and repulsive’.
VW admitted they have already laid aside some 30 billion Euros to pay fines, recalls and other costs associated with their ‘cheat devices’ that came to light during the 2015 Dieselgate scandal. But it seems that costs for people buying their cars could also continue to increase due to the inaccuracy of their emissions results, nearly three years on from the original scandal.
Have you been put off buying a Volkswagen in the future? Does it come as a surprise to you that manufacturers are cheating? Let us know in the comments.
Over the last two years almost 4000 animals were hit and killed by vehicles on major routes in Britain, and although this may seem like a large number, these are just the reported ones. Te estimated numbers are nearer 165,000 a staggering figure.
In fact, 39% of motorists have acknowledged to hitting an animal at some point throughout their life driving, and only 14% reported it, although there are particular animals which you need to report hitting by law. These are dogs, horses, cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, donkeys and mules, as set out in the Road Traffic Act of 1988. What is interesting is that 59% of those who had hit an animal and not reported it, said this was because they knew that only certain animals need to be reported.
Facts and Figures
The figure of 4000 only includes animals that have been killed on the road in accidents which were reported, which is why there are only four rabbits and four pheasants in the data although these are two types of animal that you would expect to have been hit most often. Interestingly enough the report said that a wallaby had died! The list of killed animals also included a heron, peacock and a goat.
The most commonly hit and reported animal is a deer, with 1117 being killed over the two year period, making up 29% of all reported animal accidents. Badgers were the second most hit at 23%, which equates to 915 reported accidents, and foxes are in third place with 716 being killed and reported.
Avoiding Animals
Despite being warned that they should not change their driving if they spot an animal in the road, 49% of motorists had tried to avoid hitting an animal with 43% of them saying they had tried braking heavily and 40% admitting that they had swerved to avoid one. When learning to drive, learners are told never to swerve or brake suddenly, in avoiding an animal running across the road, to protect the safety of other motorists.
On the other end of this scale, 11% said that the reason they did not try to avoid animals in the road through heavy braking or swerving was to protect other drivers (33%). 22% said to prevent hurting themselves plus any motorist who hit another vehicle due to trying to dodge an animal would be entirely liable for the collision.
However, some drivers would change their driving behaviour for certain animals but not others, with 80% saying that they would swerve to avoid a dog. On the other hand, only 47% said the same about a bird, which could link to the fact that hitting a dog needs to be reported whereas hitting a bird does not.
Most Dangerous Road
A different report released found that the most dangerous road for animals was the A303 from Basingstoke to Devon, via Stonehenge. This road runs through some beautiful countryside, which means more animals are liable to run across. In Canada, they have a system that along bigger roads that have a high proportion of animal deaths, they put large barriers to stop animals from running into the road.
In the same report, 18% of Britons said that they would eat roadkill, and some even said they had eaten roadkill! Looking further at the results at what animals people would eat, 10% would be happy to eat a swan and 14% willing to eat a squirrel!
Staying Safe
It is important to remember that staying safe on the roads and protecting yourself and other motorists may mean that hitting an animal is unavoidable at times. If you, unfortunately, do kill an animal, and you can recognise it as one on the list, then do make a note of the area, road name and time of day and get in touch with your local authority as soon as possible.
For more information on reporting animals, please visit the Government website.
Do you swerve around animals when driving? Would you eat roadkill? Let us know in the comments
January is one of those months when people pay close attention to the cost of things, with that long spell from the pre-Christmas payday through until the end of January. Spells of cold weather and snow have also meant the inclination to use the car more and protect the family from the worst of it. So how have petrol and diesel prices faired during the month?
Price trends
According to data from the government, the average price for both petrol and diesel have increased during the month of January. At the beginning of the month, the average price around the country for petrol was 120.19 and for diesel 123.51. By the end of the month, the figures for both had risen, with diesel slightly ahead of petrol regarding percentage increase. Petrol was at an average price of 121.69 while diesel was at 125.32.
These increases show that the price had continued to rise steadily, since July last year, when it reached a low point. The cost of filling up the average car in the UK (based on a Ford Focus with a 55-litre tank) is now £67.13 for a petrol car and £68.67 for a diesel car.
Reports show that prices hit a three year high in December 2017, and with the continued increase into this month, it will mean another new high. The growth suggested that the difference between filling up your car in the middle of the year and filling it up at the end was around £5 – and is a little higher now.
Cheapest diesel and petrol
For drivers of petrol cars around the country, the most affordable prices available were in Scotland and Manchester.
Midlothian – 109.8
Edinburgh – 112.5
Greater Manchester – 113.7
Cornwall – 115.2
West Yorkshire – 116
Warwickshire – 116.3
County Durham – 116.4
Staffordshire – 116.7
Isle of Wight – 116.8
Torfaen – 117
The picture was similar for diesel drivers, with two locations around Scotland offering the lowest prices, followed by a station in County Durham.
Midlothian – 114.6
Edinburgh – 117
County Durham – 118.4
Greater Manchester – 118.5
Warwickshire – 118.8
Staffordshire – 119.3
Cornwall – 119.7
Thurrock – 1.2
West Yorkshire – 120.2
Conwy – 120.6
Most expensive diesel and petrol
Drivers in other areas of Scotland also had to contend with the highest prices for petrol around the country.
Dumfries & Galloway – 135.6
Highland – 134
Leicestershire – 133.8
Eilean Siar – 132.9
Argyll & Bute – 132.9
Warrington – 131.6
North Ayrshire – 131.1
Shetland Islands – 130.4
Stirling – 129.9
Orkney Islands – 129.3
For diesel drivers, Leicestershire topped the charts as the most expensive place to fill up followed by a few locations across Scotland.
Leicestershire – 138.8
Highland – 138.8
Argyll & Bute – 137.9
Eilean Siar – 135.9
Shetland Islands – 134.4
Dumfries & Galloway – 134.2
Isle of Wight – 133.9
Warrington – 132.7
Orkney Islands – 132.3
Derbyshire – 131.9
Looking ahead
Most experts think that the trend will continue to be a bad one for drivers. Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC) have recently cut the production levels to make oil prices rise. It means that the cost of petrol and diesel at the pump increases as well. These changes will continue to have an affect into February, and probably onwards, showing that the times of lower fuel prices seem to be behind us for the time being.
A little good news
There is at least one silver lining amid the doom and gloom. Tesco has announced that they are offering 10p off a litre of fuel again. There is however a stipulation that you need to spend £60 or more to get the voucher, so if you do a few little shops, it might be worth saving them for a single larger one to qualify.
The discount could save drivers £5 off £50 worth of fuel and may stimulate other supermarkets into offering similar deals soon. The offer is available on shopping until 11th February and motorists have until 25th February to use the voucher that they receive.
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New MOT rules are due to come into force this spring, but there is already concern that they could put the safety of vehicles at risk. Under the new system, a new set of failure and defect categories will be introduced labelling problems as ‘dangerous’, ‘major’ or ‘minor’. The RAC is concerned that while any dangerous faults will lead to failure, vehicles with minor problems will pass the test.
EU roadworthiness package
The new measures are part of the EU Roadworthiness Package that is being introduced in May 2018. There are concerns that the classification will leave the seriousness of defects open to the interpretation of the tester, and this could lead to confusion.
RAC Spokesman Simon Williams said that while the new changes might seem sensible, they are concerned that many motorists could become confused by the system when indicating how serious a fault is with their car.
Rather than creating a straightforward black and white system of pass or fail, the new system leaves the status of the vehicle open to interpretations and could vary from one test centre to another. There are also other changes coming in that could further confuse matters.
Changing status
For example, under the new guidelines, there will be new criteria for steering mechanisms. A steering box leaking oil would be a minor fault, but there is room for interpretation on the part of the tester. So, while some might see it as trivial, others might see it as dangerous and fail the car.
The RAC went on to say that while they acknowledged that the government had little choice in the new regulations, they believe that the current MOT system works fine and doesn’t need to be amended.
Emissions again
Another area to see a change is emission testing for vehicles, following the scandal in recent years with the diesel cars. Any car that has a diesel particulate filter or DPF will be issued with a ‘major’ fault if there is any visible smoke from the vehicle, regardless of the colour.
There will also be checks to see if the DPF has been ‘tampered’ with or ‘removed’ and if the tester finds it has, then the owner must prove ‘legitimate reasons’ for this action such as cleaning. But any car without one can be failed without any further reason.
This highlights the ongoing anti-diesel movement from the authorities with new measures being harsher on diesel vehicles than on petrol. Garages have been required to check the DPF as part of the MOT since 2014, but the new standards will see an instant fail if the vehicle is producing smoke of any kind and the filter is missing or altered.
Maintaining a DPF
The DPF is designed to capture and store those harmful exhaust particles that cause so many problems when they escape into the air. The issue is they only have a finite lifespan and need to be emptied or burned off to regenerate and continue to function correctly.
In most cases, a good run down the motorway is the solution for removing the excess emissions soot in the DPF. It ensures that the car doesn’t emit smoke of any colour, especially the tell-tale black smoke associated with diesel engines.
Euro 5 regulations introduced in 2009 made them compulsory. If you have one on your vehicle and you haven’t had a good run down the motorway, you might be best to have a garage check the DPF before your MOT comes around.
Get your new MOT
So, under the new test, if your vehicle has any dangerous or significant faults it will be an automatic failure. These new measures with the DPF could condemn diesel cars to a retest. But for minor problems, your car could still pass – but be wary as it could need some more work doing to keep it running in top condition.
How do you feel about the new MOT? Do you think that it is safe? Let us know in the comments below
