Monthly Archive for January, 2007

Motorists must switch on lights during day, EU says

By Ben Webster

MOTORISTS may be forced to switch on their headlights when driving in daylight under European proposals aimed at improving road safety.

The European Commission wants all EU states to set a common date for making daytime running lights mandatory. It is also proposing that all new cars be fitted with lights that turn on automatically whenever the engine is started.

It claims that this will save between 1,200 and 2,000 lives a year across the EU, because cars will be more conspicuous to vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

The Government opposes the idea, but admitted this week that it was losing the argument and would be unable to veto a European directive.

Stephen Ladyman, the road safety minister, said that the move could result in more motorcyclists being killed. Motorcyclists tend to use their headlamps during the day to mark them out in traffic.

Speaking in a Commons road safety debate this week, Mr Ladyman said: “Because motorcycles use daytime running lights, they have greater visibility than they would do if everyone used such lights.

Given that one of the most serious problems that we face in this country is to bring down sharply the stubborn rate of motorcyclist fatalities, we cannot afford to compromise an important safety concern for motorcyclists.

But the minister added that he had been unable to persuade his counterparts in other countries to vote against the Commissions proposal.

I am increasingly pessimistic. The tide is running against me. A number of powerful states believe that it is a good idea. I believe that they think that it is a panacea and an easy solution to which their public will not object and which will help to reduce their casualty statistics, Mr Ladyman said.

I do not think that it will reduce their casualty statistics, but it will affect our casualty statistics. I will continue to fight the good fight, but I cannot promise that I will win.

The Government is also concerned that daytime running lights would increase fuel consumption and pollution.

Motoring groups claim that fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions increase by 3 per cent when drivers use dipped lights.

The Commission claims that dedicated daytime running lights, such as those found on Volvos and Saabs, would increase fuel consumption by only 0.3 per cent.

The dedicated lights use separate bulbs that are less bright than headlights.

The Commission said 14 of the 25 EU member states already require drivers to use daytime running lights. However, most of them are in northern Europe where the days are much shorter in winter.

Some countries compromise by requiring lights to be used in daytime only during the winter months.

The Commission’s consultation paper on the issue concedes: “The benefits of daytime running lights are likely to be greater at latitudes further away from the Equator.”

But it adds: “Contrary to widespread fears, the fact that cars are using daytime running lights does not seem to diminish the effect of any motorcyclist’s daytime lights. There have been numerous experiments under laboratory conditions and field experiments that corroborate that finding.”

The Motorcycle Action Group said that the proposal was being supported by many European politicians because it was cheaper than forcing manufacturers to redesign car fronts to make them less lethal to pedestrians.

Ian Mutch, the group’s president, said: “This is EU lunacy at its cynical worst and a red herring that distracts attention from the real causes of accidents between cars and vulnerable targets, such as motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians.”

Mike Nattrass, the UK Independence Party MEP, said: “If other countries want to force drivers to use lights in broad daylight that’s up to them, but they shouldn’t be forcing us to do it.

A good compromise would be to require sensors in all new cars so that the headlamps come on when the light falls below a certain level.

The European Parliament’s transport committee voted in favour of mandatory daytime running lights this week.

A final vote by member states, which will be decided by qualified majority voting, is expected by the end of the year. The directive, if agreed, could come into force within three years.

Teenage rampage

I am a claims investigator who deals mainly with road accidents, and was recently approached by friends about a motor insurance case. One of their teenage offspring had an accident in a car owned and insured by them. The driver was an occasional user of the vehicle and was correctly covered on the policy. The car was written off and removed by a well-known insurance company while the parent awaited settlement of the claim.

This is still outstanding, despite the passing of some months, and the insurer has instigated an investigation on the assumption that the parent had arranged insurance for the driver to reduce the premium. This is known in business as “fronting”. I am familiar with the usage of the vehicle and this assumption is incorrect. The investigator said the ���fronting” issue had come to light because the driver had previously approached insurers to see how much a policy would cost. This raises two points. First, it is common for newly qualified driver to think about buying their own car so they don’t have to rely on mum or dad. Part of the cost of owning a car responsibly is the insurance, a substantial sum for any young driver, so one would expect the youngster to check this figure when doing the sums. Second, since when do motor insurance underwriters share their personal data on prospective policyholders with claims handlers? Could you possibly raise this issue on your page and perhaps someone from the insurance industry would care to comment? if it is true that your insurer can check if you have been “shopping around” for quotes. I think we should be told:

G.D., via e-mail

Petrol, road tax, maintenance ��?”the costs of running a car always seem to be going up. So here’s some good news for a change. In a special offer, Norwich Union Direct is recognising the safer driving of car owners with a no claims discount of 4 years or more by offering 14 months’, insurance for the price of 121. That’s two months’ extra free cover representing an average saving of ��752.

Leading the way

Norwich Union is one of the country’s leading car insurers, with years of experience in protecting the UK’s motorists.

Included in the benefits of their standard comprehensive cover are:

Year-round, day and night telephone claims service, with no forms to fill in to cause delays in getting you back on the road

Up to 70% no claims discount

Accident recovery, with your car collected and taken to a garage if it can’t be driven after an accident

Unlimited lock replacement.

1 Drivers must have a no claims discount of 4 years or more, take out comprehensive insurance and be over age 21.

2 Based on an average fully comprehensive premium as at 5th November 2004.

A choice of additional options

Among the extras you can add to your policy are: Protected no claims discount

Norwich Union Rescue breakdown cover from just ��27

PhysioFast -for an additional ��12 a year this provides physiotherapy treatment following an accident

Legal services cover to help you recover uninsured losses if you’re in an accident that’s not your fault

Foreign use and European breakdown

Courtesy car during accident repair, theft and loss for just ��5.

Winter warnings

Snowdrops may be shoving their white heads, daffodils poking their leaves through the soil but it’s still winter, and that means taking extra care.

Make sure your tyres have plenty of tread and are the right pressure. Check that your wipers and lights work properly, and top up screen wash

Keep sunglasses handy -dazzle from winter sun can be dangerous .Manoeuvre gently and avoid sudden breaking or acceleration (it can take 10 times the distance to stop in ice and slush) .If you are planning a long journey, check the weather forecast and travel information

Don’t drive in snow unless you really have to, and take with you warm clothing, food, a torch and a spade in case you get stuck.

Drive slowly in fog; use dipped headlights and foglights -and don’t be fooled if it seems to be clearing. Fog drifts quickly and is often patchy.

With acknowledgements to the UK Department for Transport.

Gain fuel employment

Here are 10 ways to improve fuel consumption.

1. Slow down – driving at the speed limit, rather than 5-10mph over it, can make a significant difference.

2. Slow gradually for red lights, which could allow the light to turn green before you reach it. Pulling away from a dead stop uses more fuel than accelerating while in motion.

3. Check tyre pressures regularly, keeping tyres properly inflated will help improve consumption. For better economy still, some people exceed the recommended pressure slightly, but be sure to keep belowthe maximum indicated on the tyre’s sidewall. Check pressures whilst CQLD or you might get a falsely high reading.

4. Avoid abrupt acceleration.

5. Link several short trips together, starting with the longest. This helps to keep the car at peak operating temperature.

6. In winter, don’t let your car idle for long periods. It might be nice to have your car’s interior temperature at the “perfect” setting the moment you step in, but unnecessary idling means zero miles per gallon.

7. Keep your car properly maintained -blocked air.filters, dirty oil and lack of attention to other maintenance items all reduce economy.

8. Calculate your petrol use regularly. By being more aware of your car’s economy; you are more likely to make changes. Sometimes this might mean changing your driving habits -or your car.

9. Purchase a fuel consumption gauge, which can help you see, in real time, how your driving style affects fuel consumption.

10. Cut back on air-conditioning. Most air-con compressors run off of pulleys attached to the motor. This creates drag, which makes the engine work harder. At low speeds, roll down your windows and enjoy fresh air (at motorway speeds open windows create more drag than air-con does). Oh, and never drive with a luggage rack or top box if you are not using it.

P.M Hendon

It would be interesting to know what results readers obtain if they put all this into practice

Pillar of wisdom

Will the problem of monitoring speed at the wheel always be with us? One of the big difficulties is that the driver must keep his eyes on the road, but the speedometer dial is usually out of his line of sight. if the driver is to watch his speed then his eyes must change focus from distant objects and be distracted from the traffic environment. Keeping an eye on road speed automatically creates a traffic hazard. An effective solution would be to have a speed read-out within the driver’s line of vision, Perhaps adjacent to the windshield pillar. if a GPS system can be smart enough to determine speed and to sound an alarm if a car exceeds the prevailing limit, indicating road speed on a digital display ought to be easy. It would save points on a lot of driving licences.

D.T., Walkinqton

The Toyota Prius already has a digital speed read-out at the base of its windscreen, while the BMW 5-series and Citroen C6 can have optional head-up displays projected on to the glass. Some UK-market Cadillacs and the Corvette C6-fiave this as standard. Once you have driven a car with a head-up display, you never look down at the instruments. Also, anyone can buy a Cyclops that gives true speed by GPS far more accurately than any speedometer and can be positioned in your line of sight.