The UK’s main highway security charity, IAM RoadSmart, is looking on the Chancellor to take steps to each saves lives and scale back the influence of highway site visitors collisions in her Autumn Finances. By incentivising the take-up of extra highway security programs by way of the tax system, it can additionally assist save motorists cash because the UK emerges from a cost-of-living disaster.
With the price of insurance coverage hitting document highs earlier this yr 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 scale back VAT on bike air vests.
Whereas the Chancellor may be tempted to extend gas obligation, IAM RoadSmart urges her to present motorists some respiration area by retaining ranges on the present 52.95p after a interval of document 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 scale back Insurance coverage Premium Tax (IPT) from 12 p.c to zero for many who undertake extra driver coaching.
The price of insurance coverage reached document 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 mentioned: “This exhibits that these excessive premiums have gotten unaffordable significantly for these teams which might be disproportionately impacted. They may encourage younger individuals to both break the regulation by driving uninsured, or hand over on driving altogether. How can it’s proper that kids, usually 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 value of highway site visitors collisions brought on to survivors and their households, in addition to the fee to the Treasury – £43bn per yr. By encouraging drivers to upskill and save on their premiums, numerous deaths and severe accidents might be prevented.”
Scale back VAT on life-saving bike air vests
Motorcyclists make up round 3% of all site visitors however characterize 19% of all fatalities, making them essentially the most weak highway customers. Motorbike helmets are considered PPE, so will not be topic to VAT. This alteration in coverage will merely deliver air vests in step 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 rising their uptake and lowering the fee to the emergency companies.”
Freeze gas obligation
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 take care of the present the 5p lower 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 highway community and filling in potholes.
IAM RoadSmart Director of Coverage and Requirements Nicholas Lyes mentioned: “Onerous-done-by motorists will discover any improve in gas obligation 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 way of the nation’s crater-ridden roads.
“On the very least, if gas obligation is to extend, the Chancellor ought to ringfence this cash to restore Britain’s crumbling highway community. Not solely will this save motorists cash in repairs, it can extra importantly save lives, particularly for these travelling on two wheels the place the influence of hitting a pothole is more likely to be much more extreme.”
Mature Driver Assessments
In accordance with the Division for Transport, the variety of individuals which might be killed or significantly 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 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, 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 preserve their driving in test, and furthermore, no course of for GPs to have the ability to refer an older driver who they’ve severe considerations over their potential to drive. The nation’s inhabitants is ageing, so there might 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, this can give them confidence behind the wheel and have a wider societal profit.”
