Most drivers are well aware of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol, cannabis and cocaine and the penalties for doing so. However, how many of us can say that we actively consider how prescription and over-the-counter medicines can also affect our driving? Under UK law it is an offence to drive or…
Contrary to popular opinion, recent research shows that seven in ten UK adults are puzzled by financial jargon, while three quarters are baffled by the term “the economy”. The research does find that those aged under-25 are least likely to feel puzzled by financial jargon, compared to other age groups, with 52% of those aged…
The sustained crackdown on insurance fraud is paying dividends with a fall in both the number and cost of dishonest claims uncovered last year according to data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI). However, the average detected fraud was at a record £12,283, due to the slower fall in their total value. Fraudulent claims…
According to research commissioned by the UK’s leading independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, potentially millions of motorists could be unknowingly getting behind the wheel while over the drink-drive limit. A recent survey held by the charity has revealed that up to four in ten drivers of the 1,004 motorists questioned did not know the…
A new law on the use of mobile phones while driving has come into effect with an offence being triggered whenever a driver holds and uses a device, regardless of why they are holding it. The law covers any device which is capable of interactive communication even if the functionality is not enabled at the…
When the latest edition of the Highway Code is published on Saturday 29 January 2022 all road users will find their place in the ‘hierarchy of the road’ has changed. Where ‘the motorist is king’ has long been the accepted mantra, drivers now find themselves relegated to fifth place or lower, while pedestrians jump to…
The thrill of a ride in the open air – or the pain of a ride in the back of ambulance? If you’re planning to give an e-scooter, the latter is as much of a reality as the former. Could you live with yourself if the rider was severely injured or even worse killed, if…
Research by IAM RoadSmart, the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, has revealed how the ‘green agenda’ is radically influencing the driving attitudes of young people aged 17-24. The ban of new petrol and diesel vehicle sales from 2030, and the absence of manual gearboxes in electric vehicles, has prompted 61% of the 1,000 young…
Support for those working from home due to the pandemic and drivers has been further extended. Pledges by members of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) had been due to end on 31 December but will now continue until 19 March 2021. This continued extra support could be of significant help to many of the…
The global coronavirus pandemic of COVID-19 has upended some of the conventional wisdom and practices involved in travel insurance. This is what economists call a “black swan” event, being unpredicted and having unpredictable consequences. Before this, the primary questions have been the following: destination; duration of trip; purpose of trip; and activities likely to take…
