The regulation regarding the safe transportation of children whilst a passenger in a vehicle on the roads in the UK was introduced in September 2006 and stipulates that :-

“All children travelling in an automobile must be subject to the appropriate safety restraint”.

To make it clear and act as a reminder, for those of you that have been blessed with children since it’s introduction, the word “children” also applies to the transportation of babies, e.g. rear facing baby seats cannot be used in the front passenger seat when an airbag device has been activated.

There are different types of child seats and you must take their weight and height into consideration when choosing a child restraint.

There are several different child restraints which the government has suggested to match a child’s weight/height ratio.

• Group 0 - Rearward facing child seats (for babies up to 10 kg)
• Group 1 - Forward facing child seat (for children 9-18 kg)
• Group 2 - Booster seats (for children 15-29 kg)
• Group 3 - Booster cushion (for children 22-36 kg)

There are plenty of suppliers out there, all of whom will be able to supply help and advice.

Some will even fit the seat for you to make sure you have protected those little treasures as best you can.

In closing, please stay focussed when driving them around, if they do start to “play up”- pull over, do not divert your attention away from the driving, that’s when these accidents happen!

Please, enjoy every moment with them because they don’t stay children for long!

Last week saw the USA holding a “Child Passenger Safety Week” so I thought it a good time to bang on about child safety whilst passengers in a car travelling in the UK.

The USA saw 1,335 children aged 5-14 years old die as occupants in motor vehicle crashes during 2006 with around a further 184,000 injured. That’s an average of 4 deaths and 504 injuries each day.

During a similar time in the UK, 149 children aged 5-14 years old were killed, more than 2828 suffered serious injury and a further 20,304 suffered more minor injuries.*

In comparison to the USA, this represented 1 death every 2.5 days and 63 injuries per day and represented 12% of all deaths in that age group across the UK.

UK governments have set targets for the reduction of child road casualties by 2010 seeking a reduction of 50% in the numbers of children killed or seriously injured and a reduction of 10% in the number of people slightly injured.

The UK compares favourably with most countries in Western Europe and encouragingly, the number of injuries is falling at a rate that suggests we will meet those government targets but that is no reason to relax and move our focus somewhere else.

Please see my next article for details of current legislation regarding car seats and safely transporting your little treasures around.

 *Source: Child Accident Prevention Trust

1.5 million women have owned up to deliberately vandalising motor vehicles during a recent study by Direct Line.

The vandalism ranges from smashing windows, slashing tyres, breaking-off car parts,  scratching paintwork and even denting the bodywork when car surfing (where passengers of moving vehicles perform stunts to imitate “surfing” on the bonnet, boot or roof of the car while it is being driven along).

Car surfing is obviously illegal and has resulted in several deaths during the course of such stunts.

The Direct Line research revealed there has been a fifty per cent increase in the amount of 11-17 year old females damaging cars with a surprising 23% of them saying they did it on the spur of the moment because they couldn’t find anything better to do!!

10% said they were drunk at the time and 8% claimed to do it because of peer pressure.

The report by Direct Line Insurance also revealed that car vandalism is not all that women have vandalised. In fact it revealed that more than 1 million adult women have deliberately damaged property/possessions over the last five years.

Vandalism causes a lot of inconvenience and expense for the person that has suffered at the hands of these type of senseless activities. If you have been affected by such unwarranted vandalism, then you have my sympathy.

For those who did the damage, spare a thought for the person who owns the property you are damaging and find something less destructive to do – please!!

They may look flashy, help attract the girls and make your mates jealous perhaps, but as a young man, you can expect to pay a significantly higher insurance premium than that young girl you are looking to meet.

Recent figures published by the AA reveals that young men can expect to pay up to twice as much for insurance when compared to their young female counterparts.

And while premiums for newly qualified young male drivers have been rising steeply over recent years, for women they have been falling - the gap having widened by 59 per cent since 2003.

Insurance premiums are based on claims experience and the reality of the situation is that 17 – 21 year old males are 10 times more likely to have an accident than men aged over 35 years old.

Young women of the same age however are only 5 times more likely to have an accident than women aged over 35 years old.

This in itself would not necessarily cause such a vast difference between premiums except for the fact that the average insurance cost of car accident involving a young male is £4,500 which is some 67% more than the £2,700 insurance claim cost involving their female equivalent.

The cost of insurance claims for males over 30 years old is only 17% more than their female counterparts showing that as males get older, we appear to regain our senses.

Whilst the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads is falling, the number of accidents involving under-21 year olds, particularly men, continues to increase.

Stats like this clearly shows why young people, particularly males are asked to pay much higher premiums than their parents for example.

The best way to bring those premiums down is to buy a small, lower group rated car, remain accident free and build that no claims bonus up.

Look to buy that hot hatch you’ve always wanted later!

We are moving steadily towards that festive time again and police across the country will be stepping up publicity and advice to motorists to encourage them to take steps to minimise the risk of having valuables stolen from their cars.

Sat Nav devices are a classic example of easy pickings for the opportunist car thief. They are designed to be “portable and easily removable” from cars so try not to make it too easy for them.

Remove your Sat Nav from your car. Take it with you, or lock it away out of sight. Make sure you remove the classic tell tale holder from your windscreen or dashboard as well!

Many people remember to do this but unfortunately forget to wipe off any residual marks left by the holder rendering the exercise pointless! Thieves will very likely break in and have a look around for one if they get a hint that there may be one somewhere in the car.

Earlier this month, Greater Manchester and Worcester police issued advice after reporting a number of thefts from vehicles in their areas and equally urged everyone to ensure they do not leave any valuables in their vehicles whilst unattended.

It is worth considering marking items with your postcode and vehicle registration using a pen that only shows under ultra violet light.

The pens cost very little, your Sat Nav and valuables cost considerably more to replace and don’t forget, any claim under your policy will probably affect your no claims bonus and future renewal premiums if you make a claim.

Ever had what I call a “senior moment” whilst driving your car? Namely, doing something so completely foolish resulting in a car insurance claim/incident that it is embarrassing!

Those readers old enough may remember the days when Jasper Carrot used to read out really daft insurance claims on his comedy shows on TV many years ago. We would all laugh and think what a “numpty”. But most of us have done something just as silly and been forced to submit a claim to our insurer at some time.

Well, Kwik-Fit Car Insurance have launched a new website called “Foolproof” to resurrect the concept, not to make fun of people, but to simply  highlight how common those motoring mishaps actually are and promote a new service they have introduced.

If you happen to be one of those unfortunate people subject to mishaps and accidents, you will already know how expensive and inconvenient such mistakes can cost. You can now cover yourself against mistakes like  snapping your key in the lock in the middle of nowhere or putting diesel in a petrol car through Kwik Fit Insurance who are offering a remedy with the launch of this new website and insurance policy.

The new Foolproof cover website invites people to tell others about their embarrassing, foolish mishaps and offers opportunity to everyone to see that it doesn’t only happen to them. It even offers participants the opportunity to win prizes.

The website and package was developed following research by  the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) whereby they found that up to 150,000 drivers per year actually make the basic mistake of putting the wrong fuel in their car.

Protection costs from just £20 per year and covers a variety of those little ‘accidents’ including punctures, lost or damaged keys, filling up with the wrong fuel or running out of fuel.” If you would like to know more, simply log onto the Foolproof website.

Approximately one in three households now have more than one car, some households have even more.

Admiral, the insurance provider, has had a popular MultiCar policy out for a while now that permits up to five vehicles registered to the same household to be insured on a single policy. They state that by using this type of policy, households can typically save up to 23% on premiums.

There are of course, many multi vehicle insurance providers out there and plenty prepared to quote premiums for those lucky enough to own more than the five Admiral are prepared to cover.

To keep premiums at a reasonable level however, you need to think a little “outside of the box” and consider:-

1. Restricting the number of drivers
2. Ensure all vehicles are stored securely

Basic yes, but by extending this thinking, you will hopefully realise that it is not necessary to insure all of your vehicles on a comprehensive basis.

As long as all cars are stored securely when not in use and there are fewer drivers than the number of cars being insured then it would not be unreasonable for an insurer to cover any of the vehicles on a comprehensive basis whilst they are being used.

You then request cover reverts to Third Party Fire and Theft (or even Fire and Theft only) when they are not in use and in storage.

There are of course many other factors that could affect an insurers decision but Lloyds syndicated car insurers are generally more flexible than composite insurers and may be more prepared to consider this sort of arrangement so you may need to approach a broker/intermediary rather than an insurance company direct in order to secure the best rates.

Well summer is virtually over, a wash out again it seems!

It is time now for people to start thinking about getting the car checked over in preparation for the autumn and winter seasons.

Like ourselves, cars and their mechanical components need a bit of TLC periodically to ensure they operate at optimum efficiency.

Let’s face it, with the weather at the moment being so unpredictable, you never know when bad weather conditions are going to strike and there is nothing worse than a car failing to start or simply breaking down in bad weather.

So, book your car in and get those critical components checked out. Ensure you have sufficient antifreeze, they tyres are up to scratch, your engine is tuned to optimise performance and fuel economy. Don’t forget to get battery levels, hoses and brake pipes checked as well.

Garages, car dealers and businesses in general are suffering just like the rest of us in this current economic climate and you never know, they may well be open to negotiation and offer you a great deal if you get in quick.

Remember, if planning to take your car overseas during the autumn/winter months, ensure you keep up to date with the driving requirements for the countries you will be in. Each country has it’s own rules and regulations.

For example, on 1 July 2008, a law came into force in France making it compulsory to carry a reflective jacket (EN471) and a warning triangle (ECE R27). However, this regulation will not be enforceable with on-the-spot fines until 1st October 2008, when the fine will be between 90 and 135 Euros.

Be warned however, there have been reports that this legislation is being enforced now, and motorists receiving on the spot fines already for not carrying these reflective jackets.

It wouldn’t be such a bad idea to have one of these jackets in your car in the UK either – just in case!

Most people know that Comprehensive Car insurance will in the main, reimburse you for damage to your vehicle irrespective of whether it was your fault.

Most people also know that Third party Fire and Theft will only reimburse you if your vehicle is stolen or subject to theft/attempted theft.

 
Recent research by uSwitch.com however revealed that one in four motorists living in flood risk areas have yet to learn this lesson and continue to insure their vehicles on a Third Party Fire and Theft basis.

Motorists with Third Party Fire and Theft Insurance policies that live in flood risk areas should give serious consideration to upgrading their car insurance policies to Comprehensive.

Ashton Berkhauer, insurance expert at uSwitch.com, said:

“Flooding is an issue for many motorists, yet too many people are failing to learn lessons from 2007 and secure adequate cover should the worst happen.”

Even comprehensive insurance policy holders should not sit back and relax however. You still need to be careful and ensure you fully understand your policy cover. For example, some policies may not pay for breakdown damage to your vehicle if you drive through flood waters so check with your insurer to be sure.

At 2.30pm last Friday, a disabled man was lured into a trap as he drove his car along a relatively busy road in Plymouth, Devon.

The man feared for his life as he was viciously attacked and robbed after being hauled from his vehicle by two attackers.

The trap was set when the driver of the vehicle behind him flashed his lights which usually suggests they want to tell you something is wrong with your car.

The disabled man pulled over, and whilst his attention was distracted when switching off his radio, both his car doors were flung open whereupon he was struck on the side of the head and dragged out of his car. He was subsequently pushed to the ground and told to hand over his money.

The man, who holds a blue badge due to a back injury, said:

“It happened so quick and I feared for my life and when I said I didn’t have any money, I felt my face pushed into the ground and they put all their weight on to my back”.

The men must have found his wallet as police later found it empty. The attackers escaped with £200, whilst the man was left locked in agony and unable to move in the road.

A passer by spotted him lying in the road, stopped to see if he was all right and then called the emergency services.

Following x-rays, it was confirmed that his jaw had been knocked out of line and his old back injury had been further aggravated, causing a trapped nerve.

He said

 ”It amazes me that people can do this in broad daylight; you just don’t expect it to happen to you in this part of the world. I’m from London originally, where you hear of these things happening, but you don’t think it’ll happen to you down here.”

A sad sign of the times I’m afraid. The frequency of such events are on the increase throughout the country.

The clear message for everyone here is if you approached by anyone whilst in your car, please ensure you keep you car doors locked until you are 100% satisfied that the person you are talking to is not a threat to your wellbeing.