Author: Simon Pavey

Many people will have begrudgingly accepted a few points on their licence for a minor driving offence at some time or another.

However, what might not be clear to a lot of them is just how much of an effect this could be having on their car insurance premiums.

How premiums soar with just a few points

New research by Compare the Market used data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and a survey of 2,400 UK motorists to examine penalties and the cost of car insurance.

It found that having just three penalty points on a driving licence adds an average of £209 in additional insurance premiums per year, amounting to a total of £230 million across the UK.

If a driver goes from zero to three points, their average premium is likely to be around £750. However, if someone adds another three points to their licence to total six, they can expect to pay an average of £1,159.

More than 500,000 people currently have six points on their licence, 85 per cent of which came from speeding violations.

Although three-quarters of those who had received penalty points reported changing their driving behaviour as a result, Compare the Market said the study suggests many people may not be considering the long-term impact of their bad habits on their insurance.

Spokesperson Dan Hutson said: “Drivers should be incentivised by these numbers to take care when on the road or risk being charged a huge amount for cover.”

Penalty points can be given out by police for a range of misdemeanours, from using a vehicle with a defective tyre (three points) to failing to comply with a school crossing patrol sign (also three points).

Jenny Smith, general manager for Tele-Gence, commented: “A few points here and there might not seem like the gravest offence in the world, but this goes to show the financial toll they can take. It’s definitely worth fleet owners reminding their teams of the importance of driving responsibly.”

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Nottinghamshire has been given the questionable honour of being named as the worst county in the country for potholes.

MoneySuperMarket used a Freedom of Information request to analyse data relating to which councils from across the UK had the most damage to roads reported to them.

 

A roll call of dishonour

It emerged that the East Midlands region had recorded the most, with a staggering 253,920 potholes going down on record over the period between January 2017 and June 2019.

This was more than 100,000 potholes greater than the total for the next worst council area, Devon County Council.

Rounding out the top – or should that be bottom? – five were Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council, Cambridgeshire County Council and the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, which had more than 330,000 potholes between them.

At the other end of the scale, the Isles of Scilly region was listed as having the fewest recorded potholes. However, they do only have around nine miles of road in total, so councils may perhaps find it easier to stay on top of repairs there.

The news comes after Car Parts 4 Less found Bath Road in Hounslow, London was the UK’s most complained-about road for damage last year.

Rachel Wait, spokesperson at MoneySuperMarket, said: “As most drivers will know, potholes are a real menace. We’re expecting a particularly cold winter, so we may well see the number of potholes rise or worsen.”

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “These figures really are shameful. We continue to believe the government has a responsibility to act everywhere to prevent drivers and businesses experiencing the damage to their vehicles that gaping holes in the roads can cause.”

 

Peugeot has announced the launch of new variants for both its Expert Panel Van and Crew Van model ranges.

The French marque is adding its Expert Sports Edition package to both vehicles for UK buyers.

Adding new flair to two popular models

The new Expert Sports Edition package will add a host of additional equipment to both models, including 17-inch Black Phoenix alloy wheels, Sports decals on the sides and rear of the van and dual zone automatic air conditioning.

Buyers will also be able to choose from three new exterior colours: Cumulus Grey, Bianca White and Nera Black.

The new package option will sit above the Asphalt variant package in both model ranges and will benefit from the same variable specification options as the standard Expert Panel Van and Crew Van.

“Our van customers are just as style-conscious as our car buyers and expect all the comfort features they will find in the Peugeot car range,” commented David Peel, managing director of Peugeot UK.

“The new Expert Sport Edition range is available to order now and is destined to be a hot favourite with our van customers.”

Prices for both the Expert Panel Van and Crew Van models will start from £29,460.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “Fleet managers looking to add flair and an extra dose of style to their model offering will be pleased to see the launch of this new package. It gives ever-greater choice to buyers and is sure to go down well with drivers.”