Using A Phone While Driving Law May Change

The current UK law makes it an offense to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving. This means that drivers cannot pick up a mobile phone in their hand and use it while driving. (The offense also applies to motorcycle riders who pick up and use a mobile phone; this consultation will use the word "drivers" to cover both drivers and motorcycle riders.) It is also an offense to use a hand-held mobile phone while supervising a learner driver. The law also covers "other hand-held interactive communication devices" such as tablets but until it becomes important to discuss specific types of devices in any detail, this document uses the term "mobile phone" to cover those similar devices.

Car Insurance and Write Offs - A Nasty Surprise

Car Insurance and Write-Offs - A Nasty Surprise

Many motorists are unaware of it, but in the UK, an insurer will only pay out the current value of an automobile if the car is written off. This is a nasty surprise for many and particularly for those who bought their car new, as depreciation can be as high as 70% after three years of ownership. This can leave the owner seriously out of pocket and owing large sums if the car is financed.

How to Protect Your Investment

The reason that they pay the current market value is because of depreciation, but the current value will be nowhere near enough to buy an equivalent or repay what you owe on a deal. This is the reason that Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) insurance is so important and especially for those buying new or on finance. GAP insurance will pay out the difference between the original price of the vehicle or the outstanding balance and the insurer’s settlement. If it is financed, this will be cleared and anything leftover can be used however the motorist wishes. This ensures that your investment is protected and that you avoid any shortfall. 

Write-Offs

No motorist believes that they will write-off their car, but the roads can be very dangerous places and accidents occur on a regular basis which leads to write-offs. In many cases, this is in no way the fault of the motorist. Experiencing this can be traumatic enough, so it is important that there is no nasty surprise when it comes to the insurance payout. Unfortunately, many accidents are what show motorists that they did not buy the correct insurance policy.

In addition to this, automobiles that are stolen and never recovered are classified as total losses, so this is another threat that every motorist faces and a reason why GAP insurance, available from specialists like ALA,  must be considered by everyone. 

America

In America, the value is determined by a third-party who will look at sales transactions of a vehicle that is a match to yours and not prices advertised. They will also factor in any substantial previous repair work and accessories or equipment that was added to your automobile.

Overall, all motorists need to be aware of the fact that there may be a significant shortfall between what they paid and what they receive when their automobile is written off. This can be a very stressful time, so you do not want to be seriously out of pocket at the same time and this is why GAP insurance is so important.

London’s Most Dangerous Intersections and How to Avoid Accidents

London is perhaps the most difficult and stressful place to drive in the entire country. In addition to the congestion charge, the amount of traffic and other vehicles on the road, and the number of distractions and pedestrians, there are also many difficult intersections. In 2016, there were 8,500 crashes at intersections in London. Although down from 2015, this is still a huge number and it is important to be wary in these areas Here are a few of the capital's worst where there are regular accidents, collisions, and injuries every year:

Wellington-Exeter 

For the second year in a row, the Wellington-Exter intersection was named the most dangerous with 84 collisions occurring in 2016. The number of collisions here (and the other intersections) is not because they are poor intersections, but instead due to the sheer volume of traffic that flows through them.

Wellington-Commissioners

Wellington-Commissioners also retains its place from last year, with 78 collisions being recorded by the police in 2016. It is said that the majority of collisions occur due to drivers using their mobile phones or violating speed laws.

Highbury-Oxford 

Coming in third for the second year in a row, the Highbury-Oxford intersection had 74 collisions last year. Police revealed that they ticketed over 1,900 people for using their phones whilst driving - an improvement on the 2,491 from 2015.

Wharncliffe-Oxford 

Another entry that retains its place, there were 71 collisions at Wharncliffe-Oxford last year. Following on from the top four, Oxford-Richmond (70), Oxford-Wonderland (70), Fanshawe Park-Adelaide (69), and Adelaide-Oxford (66) also appear high on the list.

Solutions 
It is not always possible or practical to avoid these intersections, so what can be done? Whilst increasing the number of cameras may stop people from speeding or jumping the lights, it is still not a great solution.

Instead, motorists can drastically reduce the chance of an accident (whether they are responsible or not) by purchasing a car that features new safety features. These fantastic features, such as automatic braking and lane assist, use impressive technology to read the road ahead and act accordingly. These can both save lives and stop accidents from occurring. When in the market for used cars, compare dealerships using someone like AA Cars. Remember to always enquire about cars that feature the latest safety features.

London is a very dangerous place to drive and particularly at the intersections, where many collisions occur largely due to operator error. These can be avoided with new safety technology, so hopefully, the figures will continue to drop going forwards.