If you bought a car that’s either new or just a couple of years old, you might have noticed something missing between the seats. Back in the day there used to be a lever that would operate the parking brake, more commonly known as the handbrake.
No longer. The reassuring old handbrake has been replaced by the much less substantial electronic version. And it could be costing us dear. Read on to find out why.
New research has revealed that the stopping distance prescribed by the government’s Highway Code is too short. They now believe it could take drivers half as much time again to come to a halt in an emergency. Road safety campaigners have called on the government to undertake an urgent review. They want the stopping distance section of the Highway Code revised.
Increasing numbers of drivers are being caught drug driving
Drug driving is increasing with more than half the drivers suspected of being under the influence of illegal substances testing positive. Now some road safety campaigners are calling for all drivers involved in accidents to face drug tests.
Figures from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) reveal there’s been a startling increase in drivers taking banned substances such as cocaine and cannabis. Of 2022 people stopped in June 2017, 1084 had illegal drugs in their blood. That’s 53.6 per cent compared with 39 per cent when a similar check was conducted in 2016.
Some drivers are keeping their licences despite breaking the law repeatedly
Drivers escaping bans despite reaching the 12-point limit are increasing. The threat has always been that if you accrued 12 points or more for driving misdemeanours you’d be banned for a period of time. But latest figures from the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) reveal that the number of drivers being allowed to continue driving despite having 12 or more points has grown by a quarter in the past year.
Currently, if you accrue 12 points or more over a three-year period, you are banned from driving for six months. If you get a second disqualification within three years of that, you are banned for 12 months. Continue reading
Road casualties have gone up for the first time in 17 years prompting calls for government action
As road casualties increase, the government is coming under pressure to review and reinstate ambitious crash reduction targets. A report by road safety charity Brake, along with partner the insurer Direct Line, highlights some of the reasons behind the first rise for 17 years. Factors include an increasing use of the internet while at the wheel and young drivers being more likely to text while driving. As a result of the report, Brake has come up with a series of suggestions for the government to pursue. Continue reading
Drink driving prosecutions have been cut in Scotland by reducing the limit
The police want to slash the drink-drive limit by nearly a half amid concerns that women drivers are increasingly being caught over the limit. The Police Federation of England and Wales has called for the tougher legislation. It could mean a pint of beer will be enough to put some drivers over the drink-drive limit. Continue reading
Ensuring company cars have the latest safety aids such as a reversing camera and object detection helps those who drive for work (Picture © Ford)
Do you drive for your employer? Have you had the correct training or, indeed, any training at all? If the answer is no, then it’s time to take action: at least 24% of road deaths and serious injuries in this country involve a vehicle that is being driven for work. Continue reading