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 influence of street site visitors collisions in her Autumn Funds. By incentivising the take-up of further street security programs by means of the tax system, it’s going to 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 putting off Insurance coverage Premium Tax for many who undertake further driver coaching.
To supply a lift to susceptible motorcyclists, IAM RoadSmart additionally desires the Chancellor to scale back VAT on motorbike air vests.
Whereas the Chancellor is perhaps tempted to extend gas obligation, IAM RoadSmart urges her to provide motorists some respiration house by retaining ranges on the present 52.95p after a interval of report excessive gas 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 scale back Insurance coverage Premium Tax (IPT) from 12 % to zero for many who undertake further driver coaching.
The price of insurance coverage reached report highs earlier this yr, with the common premium costing round £600. The common premium for beneath 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 will likely be disproportionately impacted. They may encourage younger folks to both break the legislation by driving uninsured, or hand over on driving altogether. How can or not it’s proper that children, typically initially 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 street site visitors collisions prompted 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 critical accidents will likely be prevented.”
Cut back VAT on life-saving motorbike air vests
Motorcyclists make up round 3% of all site visitors however symbolize 19% of all fatalities, making them probably the most susceptible street customers. Bike helmets are thought to be PPE, so should not topic to VAT. This variation in coverage will merely deliver 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 even lower your expenses by growing their uptake and lowering the fee to the emergency providers.”
Freeze gas obligation
Analysis by IAM RoadSmart exhibits that the 2 largest 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 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 mentioned: “Arduous-done-by motorists will discover any improve in gas obligation a bitter capsule to swallow, provided that they’re already being drained by hefty insurance coverage premiums, to not point out larger restore prices after driving by means 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 street community. Not solely will this save motorists cash in repairs, it’s going to extra importantly save lives, particularly for these travelling on two wheels the place the influence of hitting a pothole is more likely to be way more extreme.”
Mature Driver Assessments
In line with the Division for Transport, the variety of folks which can be killed or significantly 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 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 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 hold 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 capability to drive. The nation’s inhabitants is ageing, so there will likely be demand.
“The modest preliminary value 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, this can give them confidence behind the wheel and have a wider societal profit.”
