Latest News

For many students heading off for university this week, a car may be on the list of things to organise before they go.  A little run-around perhaps to get them around the campus, city and to their lectures.

But owning, driving and maintaining a car can be a costly affair, especially for young drivers.  Is it possible for a student to have a car on a budget….and is it worth it?

Students are likely to be charged the highest insurance premiums than any other driver group, with young men paying on average £2,872 per year and young women paying slightly less at £1,671 according to the AA.

To keep insurance costs down as much as possible, students should consider purchasing a smaller car with a small engine.  Cars such as the Vauxhall Corsa or the Ford Fiesta are a good option as they can be cheap to run.  Fiat cars are also a good choice as they have a reputation for being cheap but tough.

Because students will have passed their tests relatively recently, they are unlikely to have built up any no claims discount.  Some insurance companies offer a bonus accelerator scheme allowing young drivers to build up one year of discount in just nine months.  Students living away from home should never be tempted to be a named driver on their parents cars, ‘fronting’ is a serious no no in the world of insurance, and can result in the policy being voided.

Other handy tips for students is to invest in some breakdown cover, the likelihood of a student owning a brand new reliable motor is slim, so for many breakdown will be a must, and will save on recovery costs in the event of a breakdown.

There are so many costs associated with having a car, some of which can easily be overlooked such as the annual MOT and road tax.  Students must allow for these costs in their budget, as well as some contingency funds for the general up keep and maintenance of the car.

One major cost, and one that most drivers in the UK are struggling with, is the rising cost of fuel.  Filling up a run-around may just break the bank, another good reason to choose a fuel-efficient car to keep the costs at the pump down.

There are cheaper alternatives open to students, which will give them access to a car, but without the financial burden of owning their own.

Many universities have set up car clubs, allowing students to ‘pay as you go’, ideal for students that only need a car for occasional use.

Other schemes are also available such as the Streetcar student offers option.  Streetcar provide students hourly hire rates on vehicles that are parked around the campus.  A spokesperson from Streetcar has commented on the scheme “A lot of universities don’t allow students to bring cars on to campus for environmental reasons, so parking can be restricted. As well as the obvious financial savings of using Streetcar, students also like its flexibility”.

Car share schemes for students have also been introduced to many universities, and for some, is an ideal way of getting around campus.  Online facilities have been set up to match up students who take the same journeys, a great way of saving money, meeting new people and not to mention saving the environment!

For more info on this you can visit www.studentcarshare.com

This article was brought to you by Think Insurance, specialists in motor traders insurance.

Motoring groups and a former transport minister have slammed service station Moto for issuing a tired driver a parking fine.

Mr Orr was travelling at 2am in the morning when he pulled over at the Exeter Moto Services to take a break.  He was so tired he feared he would fall asleep at the wheel, so took the sensible decision to pull over and rest.

Just a few weeks later, Mr Orr received a fine from Moto, as his van had been photographed arriving at the service area and leaving three hours later.

Moto allow free parking for 2 hours and Mr Orr stayed one hour longer than this, however the company are being condemned for enforcing this limit during the night.

A former transport minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, has spoken out, ““Fatigue is one of the biggest contributors to death and injuries on our roads. I think it is entirely inappropriate that somebody who has behaved responsibly should be penalised for taking his own and other people’s safety into account. It is utterly outrageous”.

And Fitzpatrick isn’t the only one to feel angered by the fine, a spokesperson from the AA comments  “This is barking. A tired driver is a hazard and if they have the sense they should not be penalised for doing so. This clearly racks of raising money rather than being about road safety”.

The spokesperson goes on to say that companies such as Moto should ‘see reason’ when it comes to parking limits and enforcing them.

Moto, who have since withdrawn the fine, have spoken out to defend their position “Moto do not provide free parking for more than two hours in common with all UK motorway service areas and have not provided free parking for the past forty years.  The restriction is displayed on numerous signs at every one of our sites, including on all entrances and exits along with instructions on the various methods by which payment can be made at any time of day or night”.

The Moto spokesperson went on to explain that Mr Orr ‘chose to ignore the signs’ and then did not explain why he had stayed for 3 hours, so they had no idea of the circumstance that surrounded his 3 hour stay.

Despite this, Moto have confirmed, “Now that the circumstances surrounding Mr Orr’s penalty have been brought to our attention it will be rescinded under our policy of not charging drivers who have taken a nap for reasons of safety”.

Garrath Hussey, CEO of Think Insurance comments on the story “We all know how dangerous it is to drive when tried, so for Mr Orr to be fined for behaving so responsibly, seems ludicrous.  It is reassuring to see Moto have withdrawn the fine, and we hope this incident has not sent out the wrong message.  It is vital that drivers feel they can stop for a nap if they are feeling tired, the last thing we want is for people to be in fear of receiving a fine for taking a break”.

Car enthusiasts or anyone working in the motor trade or industry will be bracing themselves for the exciting new innovation from BMW.

Since 2005, BMW have been secretly working on the new ‘autonomous 5 series’, which can drive itself on the motorway. A real life Herbie or KITT could be a reality sooner than we ever thought could be possible.  Although don’t rush out to your local BMW dealership to order one just yet…..the finished article is a long way from being completed!

So how does this clever piece of kit work? There are 12 sensors that can read the road that surrounds the car. A special computer then sends this information to a GPS system, a cruise control device and a lane marking system.

Initial tests on the car were carried out at race circuits. The tests showed that the car could carry out a perfect lap every time.  The tests then moved to the roads. Legislation means that because the car is a prototype it must be controlled by the driver at all times.  When the vehicle hits the motorway, a simple press of a button and the car takes over.  The GPS system that is used is so technically advanced it can adjust to changes in the road, and the steering makes small adjustments to give a smooth ride. The car will overtake slower moving traffic, giving the driver warning by indicating.

Those that have tested the car admit that allowing the car to take over, is both scary and exciting.

This clever new innovation looks much like any other standard 5 series BMW on the inside, aside form the monitor mounted on the centre console.

Sadly this nifty invention won’t be hitting our forecourts any time soon.  At the moment, the car is really just a test vehicle, which will allow BMW to develop new features and gadgets for their other cars.

In fact the autonomous 5 series has already helped with the development of the Congestion Assist and the Emergency Stop Assist gadgets. The first is a system developed for heavy traffic where the car can automatically drive up to 25mph.  The second is a clever feature that can monitor the driver and can pull the car over if the system detects the driver has had a heart attack or a stroke.  Not only will the car pull over safely, but it can also then contact the emergency services.

Motor traders and enthusiasts will be pleased to hear these innovations aren’t too far away.

This article was brought to you by Think Insurance, the specialists in Motor Trade Insurance.

According to recent reports, the speed limit on Britain’s motorways could be set to increase to 80mph, as opposed to the current 70mph limit.

With suggestions that the changes will result in journey times being reduced giving a boost to the economy, we could find ourselves on par with other European countries such as France, who already have 80mph limits.

Figures from the Department for Transport suggest around 50% of cars on the motorway already travel at speeds exceeding 70mph.  The police have been known to turn a blind eye to drivers who are driving up to 10mph faster than the current speed limit of 70mph.

Experts are hopeful that if the new proposed speed limit is properly enforced, drivers will be more likely to abide by the rules.

The Daily Mail have suggested that the increase in speed limit may be discussed at this moths Conservative Party conference, but the DFT have said the reports are ‘speculation’.

A spokesperson from the DFT said “We need to make sure that we are looking at the right criteria when considering what level speed limits should be set at.  This means looking at the economic benefits of shorter journey times as well as considering other implications such as road safety and carbon emissions”.

The spokesperson also went on to confirm that any proposed changes to the speed limits would be subject to ‘full public consultation’.

As expected, not everyone would welcome the proposed increase, some groups would fight to have the 70mph speed limit kept as it is, and even go as far as reducing limits in some urban areas, to 20mph.

Edmund King from the AA is fully in support of increasing the speed limit, he comments, “Our view is that 80mph in a modern car in good weather, at a proper distance from the car in front is a safe speed, whereas 50mph in bad weather tailgating the car in front is a very dangerous speed. Some might argue that 80mph is already the default speed, as motorists rarely get prosecuted for driving at 80mph on motorways”.

King also echoes the sentiment of many, commenting, “However, if we want people to adhere to the lower speed limits, such as 30mph, it is better to have speed limits that are realistic and enforced.”

This article was brought to you by Think Insurance, specialists in Motor Traders insurance.