Tag Archives: IAM

IAM welcomes tougher mobi penalties.

08 Tuesday Nov 2016

Posted by in Road Safety, Uncategorized

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IAM RoadSmart has welcomed an increase in the punishment for drivers caught using a held-held mobile phone whilst driving – saying drivers need to learn that their actions could kill.

This morning (8 November) the Government announced that anyone caught using a hand-held mobile phone while at the wheel of a car would be fined £200 and receive six points on the licence – a doubling of the existing penalty.

The issue was brought into sharp focus last week when lorry driver Tomasz Kroker was jailed for 10 years when he killed a family of four in a crash caused by him being distracted by his mobile phone.

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Research, said: “Addressing the growing problem of smartphone use whilst driving will require a combination of enforcement and education as well as drivers, passengers, companies and individuals taking more responsibility. 

“IAM RoadSmart is disappointed that the government did not support our calls for first time offenders to be sent automatically on a re-education course specifically tailored to mobile phone use and breaking our apparent addiction to being constantly connected. We also want to see car companies, mobile phone makers and social media providers working together to develop technical solutions to hand held mobile phone use in vehicles.”

Neil added: “It is essential that drivers get the clear message that if you are on the phone and have a fatal crash you can expect to go to prison for a long time. There is a lot of support among the driving public for stronger penalties and more enforcement focus on mobile phones, but also a feeling that this is not always reflected in sentencing. 
“The Home Office must also review it’s policing priorities to ensure they reflect the risks that new technology can bring on the road.”

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Winter tips from the Institute of Advanced Motorists

23 Sunday Nov 2014

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Unless your motorhome is safely garaged away for the winter then you need to take bad-weather precautions, warns the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM). Even if you are only heading for a port and sailing for warmer climes, the British weather will make it a challenge just getting there. There are seven essential checks, according to the IAM, that everyone should carry out.

• Ensure your lights are fully working; if a bulb is not working you will need to replace it before starting your journey or go to a garage and get it fixed straight away. Keep a spare set handy in the car. If you are caught driving when your lights are not working you could face a fine of up to £1000.

• Check the washer bottle is filled with screen wash, rather than just water, to remove grime from the screen. Ensure windscreen wiper blades are working properly too, without leaving lines or smearing the screen.

• Check the brake fluid reservoir under the bonnet, and if it is lower than it should be get the motorhome seen by a mechanic urgently. Driving in this way is dangerous.

• Check tyre tread depth. The legal minimum on a motorhome is the same as a car at 1.6mm. Use a tread depth gauge to measure them and check the tread surface is not worn out. Driving with tyres below the legal minimum tread depth can result in a fine of £120.

• Anti-freeze should be topped up all year round, so don’t neglect this over the winter. Ensure it is filled at the correct mixture to stop the coolant in your ‘van from freezing. Check you have the concentration of the fluid right for the temperatures you expect.

• Make room to pack an emergency kit containing a blanket, torch, shovel, and a fully charged mobile phone so you can contact your breakdown service provider if required.

• Make sure you have last year’s ice scraper and de-icer at the ready and ensure they are still effective, or get new ones for this year. Frost can strike overnight; don’t wait till it’s too late.

Discover more advice from the IAM at http://iam.org.uk

Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews

Dolgellau

29 Thursday May 2014

Posted by in Places, Road Safety, Travel

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Passing through the southern end of Snowdonia National Park recently on the A470 near Dolgellau you see some wonderful valleys and have to scale some steep gradients. It is stunning countryside and I was impressed with this motorhome proudly displaying the driver’s membership of the Institute of Advanced Motorists.

Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews

Don’t tweet while driving!

30 Friday Mar 2012

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As many as eight per cent of drivers are using smartphones at the wheel and some are even announcing it proudly on twitter, according to road safety charity the IAM. This is equivalent to 3.5 million licence holders.

IAM research shows that using smartphones for social networking while driving is more dangerous than drink driving or being high on cannabis. It slows reaction times by up to 37 per cent. Despite the dangers, eight per cent of drivers admit to using smartphones for email and social networking while driving. Twenty-four per cent of 17-24 year old drivers – a group already at higher risk of being in a crash – admit to using smartphones for email and social networking while driving.

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “That someone should risk their life on the motorway to announce to the world that they are eating percy pigs is simply staggering. The government must take the lead and make sure that motorists understand the dangers of using smartphones. Phone manufacturers and social network operators can also help reinforce the safety message.”

Christopher Macgowan
twitter: motorhomenews