Scary statistics unearthed by IAM over state of drivers on Britain’s roads

In shocking news, the institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has found three drivers with more than 40 points on their driving licences are still allowed on the road, after submitting a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA.

The enquiry also found that 13 people in Britain currently have 28 or more points on their driving licence, the worst of those amassing a worrying 51 points.

In further research conducted, the IAM also established that the numbers of drivers with 12 or more points has shot up by 9 per cent in just seven months between March and October 2015 – from 6,884 to 7,517.

While the DVLA does not hold details as to whether all of those individuals were still in possession of a vehicle, it did state that individual courts have the powers to choose not to disqualify a driver.

In correspondence released by the IAM, the DVLA wrote: “In a small percentage of cases where the driver has accumulated 12 or more penalty points, the agency understands that a court can exercise its discretion and not disqualify the driver.

“In the majority of these cases, magistrates may have decided to allow drivers to retain their entitlement to drive where it is considered that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship,” it added.

The location of drivers with 28 points or more across Britain by postcode district is as follows:

Oxford – 51 points
Liverpool – 42 points
Basildon – 42 points
Wigan – 39 points
Burnley – 38 points
Northampton – 33 points
SW London – 33 points
Sheffield – 30 points         
Southend-on-Sea – 30 points
Slough – 30 points
Cambridge – 30 points
Peterborough – 29 points
Stevenage – 28 points

Furthermore, the IAM took a look into the ‘top five’ districts listed above and made the following shocking discoveries:

– 51 points holder (Oxford): provisional licence holder, three speeding offences in 30mph zone, seven offences of not providing driver details. Not disqualified

– 42 points holder (Basildon): seven offences, all of which were for failing to report driver details. Previously held points for speeding including one at 109mph. Not disqualified from driving as magistrates accepted mitigating circumstances including ‘extreme hardship’ through loss of income. Not disqualified

– 42 points holder (Liverpool): currently seven counts on record, including two of speeding in 30mph areas and five of not reporting driver of vehicle. Not disqualified

– 39 points holder (Wigan): 13 counts of exceeding the speed limit for a goods vehicle. Not known if this driver has been disqualified

– 38 points holder (Burnley): 10 counts of speeding in 30mph areas. Not disqualified

Data from the DVLA shows that, of the 45 million driving licence holders in Britain, three million have points on their licence. Meanwhile, some 100,000 licence holders have been disqualified over the past four years for reaching 12 points and four per cent got all their points in one go.

The DVLA also says their evidence suggests 90 per cent of drivers not disqualified are due to ‘judicial discretion’.

Sarah Sillars, IAM chief executive officer, said: “The IAM has been highlighting this issue for several years now and we appreciate that the flow of information between the DVLA and the courts is slowly improving, which will allow the courts to make better decisions while armed with the full facts.

“However these improvements cannot come quickly enough to deliver a truly joined-up approach to the judicial process. Individual courts making decision on prosecutions can lead to inconsistency in how the law is applied which risks devaluing the simple ’12 points and you’re out’ road safety message. If the public sees that persistent offenders are getting away with it, they may believe that road traffic rules – which let not us not forget, are designed for their safety – are ineffective or unimportant.”

What do you think of these findings? Will you feel unsafer not he road knowing drivers similar to those mentioned above are still taking to our roads up and down the country?

by Joe Jeffrey

Check out these top tips for driving in the rain

It goes without saying that, with the northern-most parts of the UK flooded, rainy season is upon us. Add a steady increase in new drivers year-on-year to the adverse weather some parts of the country are experiencing at present and it could make for rather treacherous road conditions – even if we do think we’re the best thing behind the wheel since Sterling Moss. Factor in towing a caravan, or sitting behind the wheel of a massive motorhome, and heavy rain could present itself as a slight problem.

Now, director of the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), Mark Lewis, has issued some invaluable advice to how drivers can best prepare for driving in heavy rain.

The advice offered is as follows:

– Before setting off, check for any weather alerts, traffic updates or planned road closures that may affect your journey. Only travel in extreme adverse weather conditions if it is really necessary.

– Check the lights and windscreen wiper blades are clean and working properly. Also check the tyre pressure and tread depth to ensure the best possible grip on wet surfaces.

– Plan your route in advance and try to avoid any roads that are prone to flooding, even if it extends your journey.

– Heavy rain often leads to damaged road surfaces and puddles can hide deep potholes – look for clues such as loose chunks of tarmac.

– In heavy rain, don’t forget to switch on your dipped headlights so other motorists can see you easily. Reduce your speed when travelling in the rain to decrease your stopping distance. This will also help you pass through large puddles and potholes smoothly, without spraying other road users or risking aquaplaning.

– Torrential rain may interfere with the electrics of a vehicle causing a breakdown. Prepare for the worst by keeping your mobile phone charged and with the number of your breakdown service provider already saved on it. While you wait for help keep your bonnet closed as soaking the engine will only make it worse.

Do you feel confident driving in the rain? Also, do you have any additional advice you might be able to offer our readers? Let us know in the comments.

by Joe Jeffrey

Overhaul needed for UK driving test according to GEM Motoring Assist

Road Safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist is calling on the government to introduce compulsory eyesight testing for all drivers at regular intervals after branding the current driving test “crude and outdated.”

According to GEM, a detailed test of a driver’s visual acuity and field of view should be required every ten years.

GEM chief executive David Williams MBE said: “We are worried that a large number of drivers have not had their eyes tested for many years – and some have never had a test.

“Many of us assume our vision is fine and does not require a check-up; however we have no way of knowing this for sure. That’s why it’s so important for road safety that the Government take steps to ensure regular, compulsory testing for all drivers.

“We believe it is unacceptable to operate a system where a driver can read a number plate aged 17 and carry on driving for 50 years or more without any eyesight check whatsoever.

“Along with many road safety organisations, we believe everyone should undergo a compulsory, professional eyesight test when applying for a provisional licence, with a further test every 10 years after that.

The current ‘number plate’ eyesight test was introduced to the driving test in 1937 and has only been amended in minor ways over the years to reflect changing number plate sizes. It is the only eyesight test drivers are required to undertake until they reach the age of 70.   

According to a spokesperson for GEM, the test is crude and outdated, as it only measures visual acuity – that’s sharpness – to you and us. It could also quite easily examine a driver’s field of view, as is done in many US states, to check whether motorists can see and react to what’s happening around them.

David Williams continued: “The time has come to accept that the current driver eyesight test simply isn’t fit for purpose. What’s more, it is certainly no longer acceptable for drivers to self-certify.

“As more and more people are staying behind the wheel into their eighties and beyond, the need for mandatory eyesight testing has never been more pressing.”

What do you think? Are your eyes still up to the job of navigating the roads when you get behind the wheel?

by Joe Jeffrey

Swift takes the gold, as Bailey and Elddis come close second and third

Swift has shot to victory in the CaravanTimes Caravan & Motorhome Awards 2015, scooping the Used Caravan of the Year category with the company’s Charisma range.

The Charisma, which was superseded by Swift’s Challenger Sport range in 2011, managed to take first place in a race that saw the Bailey Pageant place second and the Elddis Odyssey sweep into third respectively.

The awards, which are unique owing to the winners being determined by members of CaravanTimes, proved extremely popular this year and some great prizes were up for grabs in our random prize draw to thank you for taking part. Winners have now been notified, so please make sure you check here to see if you’ve won!

To see a more comprehensive breakdown of the Used Caravan category, as well as the results of the 11 other categories in this year’s Awards, click here.