The UK’s main street security charity, IAM RoadSmart, is looking on the Chancellor to take steps to each saves lives and cut back the impression of street visitors collisions in her Autumn Funds. By incentivising the take-up of further street security programs by the tax system, it should additionally assist save motorists cash because the UK emerges from a cost-of-living disaster.
With the price of insurance coverage hitting report highs earlier this yr and being an enormous concern for drivers, significantly the under-25s, the charity recommends hanging off Insurance coverage Premium Tax for individuals who undertake further driver coaching.
To supply a lift to weak motorcyclists, IAM RoadSmart additionally desires the Chancellor to cut back VAT on motorbike air vests.
Whereas the Chancellor is perhaps tempted to extend gas responsibility, IAM RoadSmart urges her to offer motorists some respiratory area by retaining ranges on the present 52.95p after a interval of report excessive gas costs over the past two years.
Lastly, with an ageing inhabitants, the charity calls on the Treasury to allocate funding to permit GPs to prescribe mature driver assessments, stopping deaths involving aged drivers.
Cancel Insurance coverage Premium Tax
IAM RoadSmart is looking on the federal government to cut back Insurance coverage Premium Tax (IPT) from 12 % to zero for individuals who undertake further driver coaching.
The price of insurance coverage reached report highs earlier this yr, with the common premium costing round £600. The typical premium for underneath 25s is now greater than £2,000.
Analysis by IAM RoadSmart exhibits a rise of 25% within the variety of drivers aged 17-20 being caught driving with out insurance coverage between 2022-2023.
IAM RoadSmart Director of Coverage and Requirements Nicholas Lyes stated: “This exhibits that these excessive premiums have gotten unaffordable significantly for these teams which can be disproportionately impacted. They may encourage younger folks to both break the legislation by driving uninsured, or surrender on driving altogether. How can or not it’s proper that kids, typically at the beginning of their careers and needing a car to get to work, could also be priced out of driving altogether.
“Moreover, there may be the human value of street visitors collisions prompted to survivors and their households, in addition to the associated fee to the Treasury – £43bn per yr. By encouraging drivers to upskill and save on their premiums, numerous deaths and critical accidents can be prevented.”
Scale back VAT on life-saving motorbike air vests
Motorcyclists make up round 3% of all visitors however symbolize 19% of all fatalities, making them essentially the most weak street customers. Motorbike helmets are considered PPE, so are usually not topic to VAT. This variation in coverage will merely deliver air vests in step with many different types of PPE.
IAM RoadSmart Director of Coverage and Requirements Nicholas Lyes stated: “Slashing VAT on motorbike air vests is not going to solely be saving riders’ lives however may also lower your expenses by growing their uptake and lowering the associated fee to the emergency companies.”
Freeze gas responsibility
Analysis by IAM RoadSmart exhibits that the 2 greatest considerations for motorists are both value, or the state of the roads. The charity calls on the Chancellor to keep up the present the 5p reduce that was launched in 2022, which has helped motorists save round £50 a yr. If the speed is elevated, this ought to be partially ringfenced into repairing Britain’s crumbling street community and filling in potholes.
IAM RoadSmart Director of Coverage and Requirements Nicholas Lyes stated: “Arduous-done-by motorists will discover any enhance in gas responsibility a bitter tablet to swallow, provided that they’re already being drained by hefty insurance coverage premiums, to not point out larger restore prices after driving by the nation’s crater-ridden roads.
“On the very least, if gas responsibility is to extend, the Chancellor ought to ringfence this cash to restore Britain’s crumbling street community. Not solely will this save motorists cash in repairs, it should extra importantly save lives, particularly for these travelling on two wheels the place the impression of hitting a pothole is prone to be much more extreme.”
Mature Driver Assessments
Based on the Division for Transport, the variety of folks which are killed or severely injured will increase over the age of 70. This accelerates when folks attain 80.
The price of a standardised mature driver evaluation is £85. An preliminary pilot is really helpful for as much as 100,000 drivers, at a price of £8.5m to the federal government.
Nicholas Lyes, Director of Coverage and Requirements, stated it was significantly regarding provided that it’s taking place when the nation has an ageing variety of licence holders.
He stated: “We’re involved there’s nothing formally in place to assist older drivers who wish to preserve their driving in test, and furthermore, no course of for GPs to have the ability to refer an older driver who they’ve critical considerations over their potential to drive. The nation’s inhabitants is ageing, so there can be demand.
“The modest preliminary value might make an enormous distinction if it encourages in any other case unsafe drivers to cease driving. Likewise, if older drivers want reassurance that they’re nonetheless match to drive, it will give them confidence behind the wheel and have a wider societal profit.”
