The UK’s main street security charity, IAM RoadSmart, is asking on the Chancellor to take steps to each saves lives and cut back the affect of street visitors collisions in her Autumn Finances. By incentivising the take-up of further street security programs by the tax system, it would additionally assist save motorists cash because the UK emerges from a cost-of-living disaster.
With the price of insurance coverage hitting file highs earlier this 12 months 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 needs the Chancellor to cut back VAT on bike air vests.
Whereas the Chancellor is perhaps tempted to extend gasoline responsibility, IAM RoadSmart urges her to provide motorists some respiratory house by retaining ranges on the present 52.95p after a interval of file excessive gasoline 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 asking 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 file highs earlier this 12 months, with the common premium costing round £600. The typical premium for underneath 25s is now greater than £2,000.
Analysis by IAM RoadSmart reveals 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 mentioned: “This reveals that these excessive premiums have gotten unaffordable significantly for these teams which will likely be disproportionately impacted. They may encourage younger individuals to both break the legislation by driving uninsured, or hand over on driving altogether. How can it’s proper that kids, typically at the beginning of their careers and needing a automobile to get to work, could also be priced out of driving altogether.
“Moreover, there’s the human price of street visitors collisions induced to survivors and their households, in addition to the associated fee to the Treasury – £43bn per 12 months. By encouraging drivers to upskill and save on their premiums, numerous deaths and critical accidents will likely be prevented.”
Cut back VAT on life-saving bike air vests
Motorcyclists make up round 3% of all visitors however symbolize 19% of all fatalities, making them essentially the most weak street customers. Bike helmets are thought to be PPE, so are usually not topic to VAT. This modification in coverage will merely deliver air vests in keeping with many different types of PPE.
IAM RoadSmart Director of Coverage and Requirements Nicholas Lyes mentioned: “Slashing VAT on bike air vests won’t solely be saving riders’ lives however may also lower your expenses by growing their uptake and lowering the associated fee to the emergency providers.”
Freeze gasoline responsibility
Analysis by IAM RoadSmart reveals that the 2 largest considerations for motorists are both price, or the state of the roads. The charity calls on the Chancellor to take care of the present the 5p lower that was launched in 2022, which has helped motorists save round £50 a 12 months. If the speed is elevated, this needs to be partially ringfenced into repairing Britain’s crumbling street community and filling in potholes.
IAM RoadSmart Director of Coverage and Requirements Nicholas Lyes mentioned: “Arduous-done-by motorists will discover any enhance in gasoline responsibility a bitter tablet to swallow, on condition that they’re already being drained by hefty insurance coverage premiums, to not point out greater restore prices after driving by the nation’s crater-ridden roads.
“On the very least, if gasoline 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 would extra importantly save lives, particularly for these travelling on two wheels the place the affect of hitting a pothole is more likely to be much more extreme.”
Mature Driver Assessments
Based on the Division for Transport, the variety of individuals which are killed or critically injured will increase over the age of 70. This accelerates when individuals attain 80.
The price of a standardised mature driver evaluation is £85. An preliminary pilot is beneficial for as much as 100,000 drivers, at a price of £8.5m to the federal government.
Nicholas Lyes, Director of Coverage and Requirements, mentioned it was significantly regarding on condition that it’s taking place when the nation has an ageing variety of licence holders.
He mentioned: “We’re involved there’s nothing formally in place to assist older drivers who wish to maintain their driving in examine, and furthermore, no course of for GPs to have the ability to refer an older driver who they’ve critical considerations over their capacity to drive. The nation’s inhabitants is ageing, so there will likely be demand.
“The modest preliminary price may 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.”
