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Driving without due care adds 27% to the cost of car insurance19 July 2011by Janice May Driving without due care, penalty code CD10, attracts 3 to 9 penalty points on your license, dependent on the severity of the offence. Drivers convicted of driving without due care can expect to pay 27% more for their car insurance, that's more than £200 extra on their premium (at current prices) for every year until expiry of the offence (at 4 years). These are the findings of Moneysupermarket that analysed data from over 16,000 drivers with a CD10 conviction.  When they asked drivers about potential distractions in a separate piece of research, 82% admitted to not always giving their driving their full attention. The most common distraction (61%) was changing radio stations or a CD. Fifty-one per cent reported eating or drnking at the wheel. Twenty-three per cent answered mobile phonecalls and 16% sent text messages. Looking at under-35s alone, this figure rises to 36% that are willing to text while driving. Looked at from a regional perspective, the Northern Irish were most likely to be distracted at the wheel (87%) while those in the North West of England were the safest group at 74%. Of course, that even in the best-performing area three-quarters of drivers were willing to allow themselves to be distracted at the wheel is a major cause for concern. There is a lot of evidence that confirms this high prevalence of reduced attention at the wheel as well as its dangerousness. Even carrying passengers, rather than driving alone, increases accident risk. According to a study conducted by the George Institute for International Health five years ago, drivers carrying passengers are almost 60% more likely to have an accident resulting in the need for hospital treatment than those driving on their own. Driving drunk passengers is especially risky. Research by Swiftcover showed that 76% of drivers have driven drunken passengers home from parties. The research attributed 100,000 crashes and 600,000 near misses a year to drunken passengers. Indeed, when you look at when young drivers are most likely to crash, it is at weekends between midnight and 4am, when they are most likely to be carrying passengers that are intoxicated with alcohol. The driver himself is more likely to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs at such times, something many are prepared to do before driving. Almost 3 million have driven under the influence of drugs and many more under the influence of alcohol, the nation's favourite drug. Despite compelling evidence and public support in favour of reducing the drink driving limit, the government recently elected to maintain the current drink driving limit. In the case of young men in particular, attractive women distract male drivers and increase accident risk while young drivers, both men and women, are twice as likely as drivers aged over 25 to have been regarded by the police to have driven carelessly before an accident. Some drivers even use their car mirror to apply cosmetics or shave while driving, while mobile use behind the wheel has been increasing in prevalence. Modern distractions such as the SatNav can compromise driving safety while, as the above-reported Moneysupermarket survey shows, the vast majority are willing to be distracted at the wheel, with most of them likely to be underestimating the risk. When you look at the occupations of the UK's best and worst drivers, it's hard not to reach the conclusion that level of attention behind the wheel is likely to be contributing significantly to these differences. The message from the above is clear. It's a big mistake to allow yourself to be distracted at the wheel, even for a moment. Don't risk it. |
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