What kind of habits do you have when behind the wheel of a car? Are you as good a driver as you believe yourself to be? We all have bad habits that we may not even realise but when you have a bad driving habit, you are a likely candidate for an accident; that makes you a liability and an insurance risk.
Driver distraction is a major cause of both fatal and non-fatal road accidents. Distracted driving is dangerous driving because distractions result in a delay in processing information and therefore a delay in reaction.
As many as twenty-five percent of vehicle crashes in the US are caused by distracted drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That’s some statistic, and one which is no doubt reflected at least in part here in the UK. Another alarming statistic reports that a person having a hands-free mobile phone conversation is far more likely to have a car accident than a person driving whilst four times over the legal alcohol limit.
Smoking and Driving: In the UK, it is illegal to smoke on public transport. You can light up in the privacy of your own car but don’t let that fool you. The Highway Code states that smoking while driving is a breach of rules and classed as distraction. If you are involved in an accident and it is found that you were smoking at the time you could actually receive a fine of £2,500. The Scottish Highway Code banned smoking and driving in 2006, but this law has been in effect in Sweden for as long as I can remember. In Canada, an Ontario trucker was fined for smoking in his rig. Police pulled over the trucker and ticketed him $305 for smoking in the workplace, a violation of the Smoke-Free Ontario Act. In the UK it is also illegal to smoke in any vehicle which is used for work.
Snacking and Driving: Spilling soft drinks while driving will cause drivers to lose focus as they attempt to stop further spillage onto their clothes or upholstery. A hot drink is probably the worst offender. A hot coffee can cause a lot of pain when it lands in the driver’s lap and even more pain when there is an accident as a result. Whether the drink is hot or cold, trying to recover from the situation causes the biggest distraction. Trying to munch away on a sandwich or snack whilst driving can be disastrous.
Driving and Listening: A study by the Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging at Carnegie Mellon University showed that brain power used while driving decreases by 40% when a driver listens to conversation or music. Thankfully mobile phone use (unless using hands-free) while driving is already banned in the UK, and since Jan 1st in Canada too, but what about listening to the radio? A report by the University of Leicester entitled Football Focus suggests that almost two million motorists have had an accident or a near miss while listening to sport on the radio. The study showed considerable and sometimes erratic variations in the driver’s behaviour as the match progressed. Also noted were significant speed changes and dangerous lane changing.
Driving Convictions: In the UK, a driving offence – whether driving while using a mobile phone, or driving under the influence of drink or drugs – will undoubtedly result in a conviction and loss of points on the driver’s licence. The more points a driver has on his licence, the more high-risk the driver. 12 points added to a licence within a three-year period will automatically ensure that licence is revoked. When the banned driver finally gets his licence reinstated, it can be difficult to find an insurance company which will offer an affordable premium for future cover.
To drive in the UK without insurance is a criminal offence and could carry a prison sentence if you are involved in an accident. A driver without insurance may also find his vehicle impounded, which incurs yet another cost. In the US it is not unusual for a vehicle to be permanently confiscated from re-offenders.
Insurance Hikes: A high-risk driver is normally interpreted as one more likely to make an insurance claim and so their premium will be higher. Often the raised premium will be so high as to prevent the driver getting insurance at all.
Many insurance companies do not consider the actual offence and just put on the pounds to get a bigger profit. What many fail to realise is that a driver who gets three points on his licence for speeding is more likely to stick to the limits in future and be the ultimate safe driver. The fear of extra points is often what breeds safe drivers.
Under these conditions, a driver with one speeding offence is actually penalised twice; once for the speeding fine and again for the higher premium. Bolt-on insurance products such as contract hire GAP insurance, car warranty cover, key loss insurance and even tyre insurance are not affected by speeding convictions, although anyone previously convicted of a fraudulent insurance claim may need to speak to their insurer about eligibility.
Tips To Keep Your Premium Low
Driving while distracted is a major cause of UK traffic accidents. Use these tips to remove the distraction and become a better driver.
- Remove all ashtrays from your car and avoid the temptation to smoke
- Don’t drink and drive, even if it is a soft drink. Spill the drink and you will end up in a bigger spill.
- Don’t eat and drive. Greasy fingers will get you into a sticky situation.
- Don’t get carried away with the match on the radio. You could end up carried away, literally.
- Stay off the phone – and this includes texting! It is not permanently attached to your person. You have a messaging service so use it.
- You can usually get a better deal by using an insurance company that does not penalise first-time offenders.
