The UK’s main street security charity, IAM RoadSmart, is asking on the Chancellor to take steps to each saves lives and scale back the affect of street site visitors collisions in her Autumn Finances. By incentivising the take-up of extra street security programs via the tax system, it’ll 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 putting off Insurance coverage Premium Tax for many who undertake extra driver coaching.
To offer a lift to weak motorcyclists, IAM RoadSmart additionally needs the Chancellor to cut back VAT on motorbike air vests.
Whereas the Chancellor may be tempted to extend gasoline obligation, IAM RoadSmart urges her to present motorists some respiratory area by retaining ranges on the present 52.95p after a interval of file excessive gasoline costs during the last 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 many who undertake extra driver coaching.
The price of insurance coverage reached file highs earlier this 12 months, with the typical 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 mentioned: “This exhibits that these excessive premiums have gotten unaffordable significantly for these teams which might be disproportionately impacted. They may encourage younger folks to both break the legislation by driving uninsured, or surrender on driving altogether. How can it’s proper that children, typically in the beginning of their careers and needing a car to get to work, could also be priced out of driving altogether.
“Moreover, there’s the human price of street site visitors collisions brought on 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 severe accidents might be prevented.”
Scale back VAT on life-saving motorbike air vests
Motorcyclists make up round 3% of all site visitors however signify 19% of all fatalities, making them probably the most weak street customers. Bike helmets are considered PPE, so should not topic to VAT. This variation in coverage will merely convey air vests according to many different types of PPE.
IAM RoadSmart Director of Coverage and Requirements Nicholas Lyes mentioned: “Slashing VAT on motorbike air vests won’t solely be saving riders’ lives however may also get monetary savings by rising their uptake and decreasing the associated fee to the emergency providers.”
Freeze gasoline obligation
Analysis by IAM RoadSmart exhibits that the 2 greatest issues 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 minimize 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: “Onerous-done-by motorists will discover any enhance in gasoline obligation a bitter tablet to swallow, provided that they’re already being drained by hefty insurance coverage premiums, to not point out increased restore prices after driving via the nation’s crater-ridden roads.
“On the very least, if gasoline obligation 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’ll extra importantly save lives, particularly for these travelling on two wheels the place the affect of hitting a pothole is prone to be way more extreme.”
Mature Driver Assessments
In accordance with the Division for Transport, the variety of folks which might be 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 useful for as much as 100,000 drivers, at a value of £8.5m to the federal government.
Nicholas Lyes, Director of Coverage and Requirements, mentioned it was significantly regarding provided 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 test, and furthermore, no course of for GPs to have the ability to refer an older driver who they’ve severe issues over their skill to drive. The nation’s inhabitants is ageing, so there might be demand.
“The modest preliminary price 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, this may give them confidence behind the wheel and have a wider societal profit.”
