http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/insurance/motorinsurance/8526472/Car-insurance-premiums-for-young-drivers-soar-to-3688.html
With more than 448,000 of these young drivers passing their UK driving test each year, many cannot afford such steep premiums. As a result, figures from the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB) show that 20pc of motorists aged 17 to 22 are estimated to be driving without any insurance.
In a bid to cut costs, more parents are starting to insure a youngster's car in their own name as the main driver and then add their children as a second named driver – this is a practice known as "fronting" and it is illegal.
Research from the Co-operative Insurance revealed that 41pc of parents illegally front their children's car insurance, with most believing this is harmless and does not hurt anyone.
However, in the event of an accident, insurance companies can refuse to pay out all or part of the claim, cancel the policy, and even prosecute for fraud to recover third party claim costs from the policyholder or driver.
Insurers can identify a fronted policy easier than you might think, as something as simple as whose credit card is used regularly to buy petrol or the address of the policyholder, can establish the true driver/owner.
A new way to cut premiums?
There is hope for young drivers and it comes in the form of a little black box – new telematics insurance policies may be the answer with our research showing this type of policy could reduce bills by almost half.
A telematics insurance policy measures drivers' mileage, when they drive, and how they drive and they are penalised for sudden braking, excessive g-forces, or cornering.
Peter Harrison, a car insurance expert at Moneysupermarket.com, said: "With big increases to premiums being seen in the market place, telematic car insurance is growing in popularity as motorists seek to cut the cost of car cover.
"Young drivers, and specifically young male drivers, traditionally bear the brunt of a 'boy racer' reputation which is reflected in their premium prices, they are viewed as 'high risk' by insurers and therefore face huge car insurance costs."
Insure the Box, for instance, charges policyholders by the mile. Motorists initially pay for 6,000 miles, have the option to top up and receive free reward miles if they drive safely.
This is not the first time that this type of insurance has been on the market as, unlike the new pay-how-you-drive schemes, pay-as-you-drive has been around for some time. Five years ago, Aviva, formerly know as Norwich Union, started a pay-as-you-go policy which looked at how often and at what times of day a car was driven. But it didn't catch on and was withdrawn from the market just two years later.
But the market has changed in the past few years and car insurance premiums have skyrocketed, meaning more drivers are looking for cheaper options.
For instance, take a 17-year-old male driver of a Renault Clio – according to figures from Moneysupermarket.com, the cheapest standard annual policy comes in at £6,014, but if the driver opted for a telematic policy with Insure the Box or The Co-operative Insurance, the premium would reduce to £3,201 and £3,475 respectively.
Or an 18-year-old driver in the same car would face a standard premium of £4,529 while Insure the Box and the Co-operative are much more competitive coming in with quotes of £2,668 and £2,367 respectively.
However, Mr Harrison pointed out that while young drivers could make significant savings using this type of cover, it is important to pay attention to the terms and conditions of the policy, as with any insurance, to ensure that drivers stay within the guidelines.
For instance, the policy from the Co-operative monitors time-of-day driving behaviour due to the added risk. And as figures from Brake show that young male drivers are 17 times more likely to get into an accident between the hours of 2am and 5am, drivers with this type of policy who drive at night will produce a negative driving score on the system, which could increase premiums by 15pc.
Young men who are struggling to cope with rising premiums may also consider adding a named driver to a policy. However, this should only be done if the person is genuinely sharing the use of the vehicle or it is a fraudulent misrepresentation and against the law.
Andy Goldby, director of motor underwriting and pricing at insurer Direct Line, said: "If the person isn't ever going to drive the car and it is just being done to lower the cost of their insurance, then it is fraud.
"If an insurer gives a discount for policies covering couples, it may be possible to receive this discount if their girlfriend uses the vehicle."
While it may seem like little comfort, provided young drivers do not make any claims or get any speeding tickets, at the end of the first year premiums should drop by about a third as a no claims bonus starts to build up.
Some insurers such as Aviva offer a "rapid bonus scheme" which allows you to accrue your no claims bonus in a shorter period, typically nine months, so your premiums start to come down earlier.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Friendcover: social networking’s latest initiative
here have been a number of innovative insurance initiatives in recent years, from free medical insurance in Mexico City to discounted car insurance for GPS-guided drivers. Now entrepreneurial website Springwise has spotted friendsurance, an initiative that lets you manage your own insurance claims amongst a select group of friends.
German friendsurance enables its users to create communities of up to 15 people who can help cover an insurance claim in the case of an accident. These friends can be pulled in from a user's Facebook account, and, once they have become a member, they can then provide between EUR 30-50 to help cover a fellow member's claim. When a claim exceeds the amount the group can provide, friendsurance will then cover the rest of the claim.
The 'social insurance' model means that many small claims can be handled without the need for involvement from friendsurance itself, which reduces administration costs and thus enables the company to provide cheaper policies. What's more, because the insurance claim is handled by a trusted group of friends, it is also hoped that the model will lead to a reduction in the number of fraudulent claims. Currently offering home, liability and legal insurance, friendsurance claim that that by using this model their policies are up to 70 percent cheaper than their competitors.
German friendsurance enables its users to create communities of up to 15 people who can help cover an insurance claim in the case of an accident. These friends can be pulled in from a user's Facebook account, and, once they have become a member, they can then provide between EUR 30-50 to help cover a fellow member's claim. When a claim exceeds the amount the group can provide, friendsurance will then cover the rest of the claim.
The 'social insurance' model means that many small claims can be handled without the need for involvement from friendsurance itself, which reduces administration costs and thus enables the company to provide cheaper policies. What's more, because the insurance claim is handled by a trusted group of friends, it is also hoped that the model will lead to a reduction in the number of fraudulent claims. Currently offering home, liability and legal insurance, friendsurance claim that that by using this model their policies are up to 70 percent cheaper than their competitors.
Friday, May 27, 2011
James, 18, said: "I don't like the idea of being monitored. My insurance would be about 20 grand at the speed I drive."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/13549733
James, 18, said: "I don't like the idea of being monitored. My insurance would be about 20 grand at the speed I drive."
Continue reading the main story
My insurance would be about 20 grand at the speed I drive
James, 18
Danny, 19, said: "It's got advantages and disadvantages.
"Obviously if you drive better it's going to save you money, but some people just don't want to be monitored."
Ryan, 17, said: "If someone is a good driver but they happen to do something wrong then that box will determine how much they pay."
Leanna, 27, said: "I think it's a good idea as it shows you how good your driving is. It could also cut down on accidents."
Pay how you drive' car insurance brought in for teens
Page last updated at 05:40 GMT, Thursday, 26 May 2011 06:40 UK
By Debbie Randle
Newsbeat reporter
'Pay how you drive' is the new type of car insurance that companies are targeting at young drivers.
They test how safely you drive and the idea is the better you are, the cheaper your insurance becomes.
On the flip side, if your driving is not up to scratch, it's going to cost you.
A couple of companies offer this type of car insurance with more expected to follow this year.
It's aimed at under-25s, those usually hit by the highest premiums.
The latest to offer it is The Co-operative Insurance who've launched 'smartbox'.
The technology
The smartbox is the same size as a mobile phone.
It uses satellite technology to track how, and when, young drivers are using their car.
It looks at acceleration, braking, cornering and speed, as well as times of journeys.
The information is then displayed on the policyholder's online dashboard, where they can log on and get their rating; from five (excellent) to one (very poor).
The premium is then re-calculated every 90 days.
Driving well can get a discount of up to 11%, driving badly can cost an extra 20%.
The Driver - Zoe Freebourne, 17, Reading
"I passed my test last September. I was getting quotes of up to £2,000, which I can't afford at all.
Zoe says the smartbox sometimes gets a bit "confused"
"I didn't think it was an amazing idea straight away. I had to ask a few questions like what it was rated on, how many incidents I could have.
"But when I looked into it I thought, 'Actually it's quite good', it's making me a really safe driver and it's helping me save money.
"I don't tend to speed at all to be honest, even before I had the black box.
"It does get frustrating when people are behind you and trying to push you along the road.
"I get complimented on my driving because it's really smooth.
"It's like you're driving to impress your examiner on a test.
"The downsides are mini roundabouts - because it's a tight turn the smartbox thinks you're not taking bends well.
"And sometimes it gets confused over which road you're on, so can think you're speeding when you're not.
(The Co-operative paid Zoe £100 for doing this interview)
The Company - David Neave, The Co-operative Insurance
"The challenge is that young drivers have too many accidents and, because of this, the cost of insuring them is very, very high.
"If we reduce the number of accidents we can lower the costs.
Young drivers who've just passed their test are a very high risk for insurers
"An average premium for this product is about £1,200.
"We've been going six weeks and more than 1,000 customers have signed up.
"We're doing about 1,000 quotes a day.
"We expect around 45% of young drivers will get the 11% discount, and a quarter will get the loading of up to 20%.
"But what it's aimed to do is to educate those drivers so they can go online every day and see how they're driving.
"We'll also send emails to give feedback on their performance.
"We will not pass on details to the police.
"However, if a driver drives at a speed that would cause them to get an immediate ban, 110mph on a motorway for example, then we would cancel the policy."
James, 18, said: "I don't like the idea of being monitored. My insurance would be about 20 grand at the speed I drive."
Continue reading the main story
My insurance would be about 20 grand at the speed I drive
James, 18
Danny, 19, said: "It's got advantages and disadvantages.
"Obviously if you drive better it's going to save you money, but some people just don't want to be monitored."
Ryan, 17, said: "If someone is a good driver but they happen to do something wrong then that box will determine how much they pay."
Leanna, 27, said: "I think it's a good idea as it shows you how good your driving is. It could also cut down on accidents."
Pay how you drive' car insurance brought in for teens
Page last updated at 05:40 GMT, Thursday, 26 May 2011 06:40 UK
By Debbie Randle
Newsbeat reporter
'Pay how you drive' is the new type of car insurance that companies are targeting at young drivers.
They test how safely you drive and the idea is the better you are, the cheaper your insurance becomes.
On the flip side, if your driving is not up to scratch, it's going to cost you.
A couple of companies offer this type of car insurance with more expected to follow this year.
It's aimed at under-25s, those usually hit by the highest premiums.
The latest to offer it is The Co-operative Insurance who've launched 'smartbox'.
The technology
The smartbox is the same size as a mobile phone.
It uses satellite technology to track how, and when, young drivers are using their car.
It looks at acceleration, braking, cornering and speed, as well as times of journeys.
The information is then displayed on the policyholder's online dashboard, where they can log on and get their rating; from five (excellent) to one (very poor).
The premium is then re-calculated every 90 days.
Driving well can get a discount of up to 11%, driving badly can cost an extra 20%.
The Driver - Zoe Freebourne, 17, Reading
"I passed my test last September. I was getting quotes of up to £2,000, which I can't afford at all.
Zoe says the smartbox sometimes gets a bit "confused"
"I didn't think it was an amazing idea straight away. I had to ask a few questions like what it was rated on, how many incidents I could have.
"But when I looked into it I thought, 'Actually it's quite good', it's making me a really safe driver and it's helping me save money.
"I don't tend to speed at all to be honest, even before I had the black box.
"It does get frustrating when people are behind you and trying to push you along the road.
"I get complimented on my driving because it's really smooth.
"It's like you're driving to impress your examiner on a test.
"The downsides are mini roundabouts - because it's a tight turn the smartbox thinks you're not taking bends well.
"And sometimes it gets confused over which road you're on, so can think you're speeding when you're not.
(The Co-operative paid Zoe £100 for doing this interview)
The Company - David Neave, The Co-operative Insurance
"The challenge is that young drivers have too many accidents and, because of this, the cost of insuring them is very, very high.
"If we reduce the number of accidents we can lower the costs.
Young drivers who've just passed their test are a very high risk for insurers
"An average premium for this product is about £1,200.
"We've been going six weeks and more than 1,000 customers have signed up.
"We're doing about 1,000 quotes a day.
"We expect around 45% of young drivers will get the 11% discount, and a quarter will get the loading of up to 20%.
"But what it's aimed to do is to educate those drivers so they can go online every day and see how they're driving.
"We'll also send emails to give feedback on their performance.
"We will not pass on details to the police.
"However, if a driver drives at a speed that would cause them to get an immediate ban, 110mph on a motorway for example, then we would cancel the policy."
"Statistically, five or six people die every Friday in Australia
FATALITY FREE FRIDAY 2011
http://www.fatalityfreefriday.com/
Fatality Free Friday is designed to focus public attention on road safety and encourage all road users to play their part and drive safely.
Fatality Free Friday 2011 will take place on Friday 27 May.
Fatality Free Friday is the chance for you to join the campaign for a fatality-free day on Australia's roads by taking the Fatality Free Friday pledge. It doesn't cost anything - you don't even have to give any details - just print out the pledge and make a promise to yourself to go safe on the road on Fatality Free Friday.
If you would like to be involved by staging a road safety event on Fatality Free Friday and help make the road toll zero, let us know, or keep visiting this site to learn about road safety events taking place in your area on Fatality Free Friday.
The day is an annual national event designed to focus public attention on road safety and encourage all road users to think about road trauma and to drive safely. Whilst Fatality Free Friday is the annual focus day, additional road safety programs also continue throughout the year.
http://www.fatalityfreefriday.com/
Fatality Free Friday is designed to focus public attention on road safety and encourage all road users to play their part and drive safely.
Fatality Free Friday 2011 will take place on Friday 27 May.
Fatality Free Friday is the chance for you to join the campaign for a fatality-free day on Australia's roads by taking the Fatality Free Friday pledge. It doesn't cost anything - you don't even have to give any details - just print out the pledge and make a promise to yourself to go safe on the road on Fatality Free Friday.
If you would like to be involved by staging a road safety event on Fatality Free Friday and help make the road toll zero, let us know, or keep visiting this site to learn about road safety events taking place in your area on Fatality Free Friday.
The day is an annual national event designed to focus public attention on road safety and encourage all road users to think about road trauma and to drive safely. Whilst Fatality Free Friday is the annual focus day, additional road safety programs also continue throughout the year.
Tough new Victoria laws to crack down on hoons
Tough new laws to crack down on hoons
Thursday, 26 May 2011
From the Minister for Roads
The Victorian Coalition Government will introduce the toughest hoon laws Victoria has ever seen.
Introducing the Hoon Driving Bill to Parliament last night, Roads Minister Terry Mulder said the new laws are aimed at sending a strong message that dangerous hoon driving will not be tolerated.
Mr Mulder said the Coalition Government is committed to reducing road trauma and making Victoria's roads safer.
"The Coalition Government is taking tough action on road safety against people who have no regard for the safety of other road users and pedestrians," Mr Mulder said.
"These new laws will send a clear message to hoon drivers that they will be taken off the road for longer under the Coalition Government's new laws.
"We want to stop hoon driving in its tracks.
"This is about cracking down and sending the message that it won't be tolerated.
"On top of delivering our election commitments, I can announce today we will be introducing new laws to ban overloading of cars – where the driver carries more passengers than a car is designed to transport.
"Last month Premier Ted Baillieu said a driver carrying nine people in his car was 'a disaster waiting to happen - one skid away from catastrophe'.
These new laws show we are listening to the community and will take whatever action is necessary to make our roads safer."
The impoundment and immobilisation laws have also been broadened to apply to other high risk offences such as repeat offences of unlicensed driving, drink driving and drug driving.
Under the changes, which come into effect from 1 July, the period of immediate impoundment or immobilisation of vehicles on detection of a
'hoon' offence will be extended to 30 days.
Currently the period police may immediately impound or immobilise a vehicle is only 48 hours, which has been seen by some as a 'badge of honour'.
Other changes include the extension of the period, from three to six years, in which prior offences can be taken into account to determine if a vehicle impoundment offence is a second or subsequent offence.
The introduction of longer immediate impoundment or immobilisation periods has proven very successful in other Australian jurisdictions and also internationally.
"This legislation is about drivers taking responsibility for their actions and knowing that if they do the wrong thing, there is an immediate and substantial penalty," Mr Mulder said.
"Since hoon laws were introduced in 2006 more than 13,000 vehicles have been impounded but there is an ongoing challenge to reduce the number of dangerous drivers who engage in hoon behaviour."
Mr Mulder said people caught hooning won't just lose their cars for the current 48 hours - their cars will be impounded immediately for 30 days.
Police have been impounding (for 48 hours) an average of 10 vehicles a day.
Hoons caught a second time face losing their car for up to three months. In cases of extreme speeding (70km/hour or more), they can lose their car altogether.
If drivers cannot pay the fines and all of the costs associated with impoundment, they must forfeit the vehicle to police, who can dispose of or crush the vehicle. Hoons must pay the substantial costs of towing, storage, plus fines of up $2,389 if caught driving over the speed limit by 45km/hour or more.
The new laws will also mean for the first time police will be authorised to carry out roadworthiness inspections on hoons' impounded cars, issue defect notices ('canaries'), stipulate conditions about the use of the vehicle or ban the use of the vehicle outright. This will ensure unsafe cars are notreturned to the streets to threaten public safety in the future.
Drivers aged 18 to 25 account for over a quarter of driver fatalities each year; yet represent only 13 per cent of all licensed drivers.
Currently 44 per cent of hoon offenders are L or P plate drivers.
"These changes to vehicle impoundment legislation will save lives by taking dangerous drivers off the road," Mr Mulder said.
Thursday, 26 May 2011
From the Minister for Roads
The Victorian Coalition Government will introduce the toughest hoon laws Victoria has ever seen.
Introducing the Hoon Driving Bill to Parliament last night, Roads Minister Terry Mulder said the new laws are aimed at sending a strong message that dangerous hoon driving will not be tolerated.
Mr Mulder said the Coalition Government is committed to reducing road trauma and making Victoria's roads safer.
"The Coalition Government is taking tough action on road safety against people who have no regard for the safety of other road users and pedestrians," Mr Mulder said.
"These new laws will send a clear message to hoon drivers that they will be taken off the road for longer under the Coalition Government's new laws.
"We want to stop hoon driving in its tracks.
"This is about cracking down and sending the message that it won't be tolerated.
"On top of delivering our election commitments, I can announce today we will be introducing new laws to ban overloading of cars – where the driver carries more passengers than a car is designed to transport.
"Last month Premier Ted Baillieu said a driver carrying nine people in his car was 'a disaster waiting to happen - one skid away from catastrophe'.
These new laws show we are listening to the community and will take whatever action is necessary to make our roads safer."
The impoundment and immobilisation laws have also been broadened to apply to other high risk offences such as repeat offences of unlicensed driving, drink driving and drug driving.
Under the changes, which come into effect from 1 July, the period of immediate impoundment or immobilisation of vehicles on detection of a
'hoon' offence will be extended to 30 days.
Currently the period police may immediately impound or immobilise a vehicle is only 48 hours, which has been seen by some as a 'badge of honour'.
Other changes include the extension of the period, from three to six years, in which prior offences can be taken into account to determine if a vehicle impoundment offence is a second or subsequent offence.
The introduction of longer immediate impoundment or immobilisation periods has proven very successful in other Australian jurisdictions and also internationally.
"This legislation is about drivers taking responsibility for their actions and knowing that if they do the wrong thing, there is an immediate and substantial penalty," Mr Mulder said.
"Since hoon laws were introduced in 2006 more than 13,000 vehicles have been impounded but there is an ongoing challenge to reduce the number of dangerous drivers who engage in hoon behaviour."
Mr Mulder said people caught hooning won't just lose their cars for the current 48 hours - their cars will be impounded immediately for 30 days.
Police have been impounding (for 48 hours) an average of 10 vehicles a day.
Hoons caught a second time face losing their car for up to three months. In cases of extreme speeding (70km/hour or more), they can lose their car altogether.
If drivers cannot pay the fines and all of the costs associated with impoundment, they must forfeit the vehicle to police, who can dispose of or crush the vehicle. Hoons must pay the substantial costs of towing, storage, plus fines of up $2,389 if caught driving over the speed limit by 45km/hour or more.
The new laws will also mean for the first time police will be authorised to carry out roadworthiness inspections on hoons' impounded cars, issue defect notices ('canaries'), stipulate conditions about the use of the vehicle or ban the use of the vehicle outright. This will ensure unsafe cars are notreturned to the streets to threaten public safety in the future.
Drivers aged 18 to 25 account for over a quarter of driver fatalities each year; yet represent only 13 per cent of all licensed drivers.
Currently 44 per cent of hoon offenders are L or P plate drivers.
"These changes to vehicle impoundment legislation will save lives by taking dangerous drivers off the road," Mr Mulder said.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
USA report on what companies are doing—or not doing—about distracted driving
Measuring distracted driving
Matt Howard, co-founder and CEO of ZoomSafer, on what companies are doing—or not doing—about distracted driving
(To read the full white paper click here:
http://zoomsafer.web6.hubspot.com/survey-results-wp/)
Some 62% of US companies have adopted written policies prohibiting employees from using a mobile phone while driving for company business, according to a new survey conducted by ZoomSafer. This is a huge increase over previously reported statistics and reflects rapidly growing concern among corporate managers about risk and liability associated with employee use of cell phones while driving.
The survey also reveals that while many companies have cell phone driving policies, only half (53%) make any attempt to enforce compliance. Among companies that do enforce compliance, the survey found that 61% rely on post-incident disciplinary measures. Only 2% currently utilize technology to proactively measure and manage employee compliance.The reports findings also include:
· 32% of companies have knowledge or evidence of vehicle crashes that have occurred as a result of distractions stemming from employee use of cell phones while driving
· Among companies with more than 500 drivers, this percentage increased to more than 50%
· Trucking companies (53%) and local trucking (41%) reported higher incident rates
· 1 in every 13 companies has faced plaintiff’s litigation resulting from damages alleged to have occurred as a result of employee use of cell phones while driving
· Among companies with 5000 and more drivers, this increases to more than 1 in 3
· 62% of companies have implemented a written cell phone use policy
· Home and Business Services as well as Utilities/Telecommunications/Cable were the least likely to have a written policy (both around 50%)
· Long-haul trucking and local trucking were by far the most likely to have a written cell phone policy (71% and 83% respectively)
· Small companies with fewer than 25 drivers were less likely to have a written policy compared to bigger companies
· 53% of companies with a defined cell phone policy claim to enforce the policy in some manner
· Utilities/Telecommunications/Cable companies were the least likely to enforce their policy (20%)
· 40% of smaller companies (<25 drivers) monitor their policy (Interestingly, a full 25% of the survey respondents declined to answer this question)
· Disciplining an employee after a crash / incident is the most widely utilized form of policy enforcement (61%)
· CFO and legal respondents exhibited skepticism about company compliance with safety and cell phone use policies and were also the most likely to admit that cell phone use while driving contributed directly to a crash.
(To read the full white paper click here:
http://zoomsafer.web6.hubspot.com/survey-results-wp/)
Matt Howard, co-founder and CEO of ZoomSafer, on what companies are doing—or not doing—about distracted driving
(To read the full white paper click here:
http://zoomsafer.web6.hubspot.com/survey-results-wp/)
Some 62% of US companies have adopted written policies prohibiting employees from using a mobile phone while driving for company business, according to a new survey conducted by ZoomSafer. This is a huge increase over previously reported statistics and reflects rapidly growing concern among corporate managers about risk and liability associated with employee use of cell phones while driving.
The survey also reveals that while many companies have cell phone driving policies, only half (53%) make any attempt to enforce compliance. Among companies that do enforce compliance, the survey found that 61% rely on post-incident disciplinary measures. Only 2% currently utilize technology to proactively measure and manage employee compliance.The reports findings also include:
· 32% of companies have knowledge or evidence of vehicle crashes that have occurred as a result of distractions stemming from employee use of cell phones while driving
· Among companies with more than 500 drivers, this percentage increased to more than 50%
· Trucking companies (53%) and local trucking (41%) reported higher incident rates
· 1 in every 13 companies has faced plaintiff’s litigation resulting from damages alleged to have occurred as a result of employee use of cell phones while driving
· Among companies with 5000 and more drivers, this increases to more than 1 in 3
· 62% of companies have implemented a written cell phone use policy
· Home and Business Services as well as Utilities/Telecommunications/Cable were the least likely to have a written policy (both around 50%)
· Long-haul trucking and local trucking were by far the most likely to have a written cell phone policy (71% and 83% respectively)
· Small companies with fewer than 25 drivers were less likely to have a written policy compared to bigger companies
· 53% of companies with a defined cell phone policy claim to enforce the policy in some manner
· Utilities/Telecommunications/Cable companies were the least likely to enforce their policy (20%)
· 40% of smaller companies (<25 drivers) monitor their policy (Interestingly, a full 25% of the survey respondents declined to answer this question)
· Disciplining an employee after a crash / incident is the most widely utilized form of policy enforcement (61%)
· CFO and legal respondents exhibited skepticism about company compliance with safety and cell phone use policies and were also the most likely to admit that cell phone use while driving contributed directly to a crash.
(To read the full white paper click here:
http://zoomsafer.web6.hubspot.com/survey-results-wp/)
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Young drivers could be forced to meet injured victims of road accidents
YOUNG drivers could be forced to meet injured victims of road accidents and families who have lost loved ones in car crashes, under a new State Government program.
Roads Minister Duncan Gay will consider introducing a program for youngsters who lose their licences for driving offences to shock them into obeying road rules.
The Surviving Driving Younger Driver Forum is aimed at reckless and young drivers to demonstrate the consequences if they speed, drink-drive or talk on the phone while behind the wheel.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/young-drivers-could-be-forced-to-meet-injured-victims-of-road-accidents/story-e6freuy9-1226060362743
The program also demonstrates how driving ability is affected by alcohol and includes meetings with police officers and paramedics.
NSW Coalition MP for Baulkham Hills David Elliott wrote to Roads Minister Duncan Gay last week after a successful pilot of the scheme of the program in his electorate.
Baulkham Hills Police and The Hills Shire Council are behind the program, which attracted praise from the 65 youngsters who paid $30 to attend last month.
Mr Elliott, who has previously lost his licence for speeding, said he was lobbying for the program to be introduced across the state.
He hoped it would eventually count towards the 100 hours of road time learner drivers are required to complete.
"Young drivers need to be scared into submission about the dangers on the roads because everything else has failed," he said.
A spokesman for Duncan Gay said Mr Elliott's proposal would be considered.
Roads Minister Duncan Gay will consider introducing a program for youngsters who lose their licences for driving offences to shock them into obeying road rules.
The Surviving Driving Younger Driver Forum is aimed at reckless and young drivers to demonstrate the consequences if they speed, drink-drive or talk on the phone while behind the wheel.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/young-drivers-could-be-forced-to-meet-injured-victims-of-road-accidents/story-e6freuy9-1226060362743
The program also demonstrates how driving ability is affected by alcohol and includes meetings with police officers and paramedics.
NSW Coalition MP for Baulkham Hills David Elliott wrote to Roads Minister Duncan Gay last week after a successful pilot of the scheme of the program in his electorate.
Baulkham Hills Police and The Hills Shire Council are behind the program, which attracted praise from the 65 youngsters who paid $30 to attend last month.
Mr Elliott, who has previously lost his licence for speeding, said he was lobbying for the program to be introduced across the state.
He hoped it would eventually count towards the 100 hours of road time learner drivers are required to complete.
"Young drivers need to be scared into submission about the dangers on the roads because everything else has failed," he said.
A spokesman for Duncan Gay said Mr Elliott's proposal would be considered.
Co-op Trackers: Black box saved my new car (and my premiums)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1389518/Trackers-Black-box-saved-Corsa-premiums.html
Steffan Hutton has had a cruel introduction to the world of motoring. Barely three weeks after buying his first car last month, 17-year-old Steffan got up for work to find that his pride and joy had been stolen.
His R-registration Vauxhall Corsa had been parked outside the home where Steffan lives with his parents, Martin, 43, and Pamela, 40, and his brother Anthony, 20.
Thieves had broken into the house overnight and grabbed a handful of valuables and the keys to the car, which they used to make a getaway. But Steffan, an apprentice electrician from Bradford, West Yorkshire, had one consolation.
Relief: Steffan Hutton recovered his car soon after it was taken from his parents' home
He is one of a growing number of young motorists who have agreed to have their driving monitored in the hope of qualifying for cheaper insurance premiums. His car is fitted with a satellite-tracking system, recording where and how he drives.
A useful bonus is that this black box technology doubles as a theft tracker, which means the car can be located quickly if it is stolen.
Martin, a civil servant, says: ‘As soon as I woke up and realised what had happened, we got straight on to the tracker company. It then informed the police.’
Less than 15 minutes later, police found Steffan’s car abandoned only half a mile away near a park. Martin says: ‘An officer had just arrived at our house to take details of the break-in when the message came through on his radio that the car had been found. It was such a relief.’
The keys were missing and there was one scratch, but the car was otherwise undamaged. Recovering it quickly also meant that there was no time for vandals to get to work on the abandoned car and no need for Steffan to make any insurance claim or pay the £350 theft excess.
Steffan bought his cover with Cooperative Insurance, which launched the Smartbox young driver plan in March. The black box monitors braking and acceleration forces, cornering and speed. It also tracks when a car is used, as most accidents involving young drivers occur late at night. The data is combined to create a driver rating, from one (dangerous) to five (safe).
Premiums are reviewed every 90 days in line with the rating. Those who score four or five are rewarded, saving potentially 15 per cent. Those who score one or two will see premiums rise, with the worst paying 20 per cent more.
Drivers can get feedback on each day’s driving via a website and get emails every six weeks with their latest ranking.
Steffan, who uses his car for work, is averaging a driving score of five. ‘I am keen to get a discount,’ he says. ‘Most of the time I find it fairly easy to keep smooth and steady, though sometimes the drivers behind get frustrated because you’re going at the speed limit.’
The rocketing cost of insurance for young drivers has created an opening for this kind of black box technology. The average premium for drivers aged 17 to 22 has risen by a staggering 64 per cent in the past 12 months to £2,431, according to AA Insurance.
While the Government is keen to improve training for novice drivers (see above), satellite trackers are an easy way for drivers in their teens and early 20s to show that they are not boy racers and so be rewarded with cheaper insurance.
Steffan pays almost £2,000 a year for cover, though he has the chance to trim this by up to £300 in the first year if he keeps driving well. In year two, premiums should fall further if there is 12 months of sensible driving. Likewise, if insurers record reckless behaviour they will raise premiums or even cancel cover.
Other companies to offer trackers include Insurethebox and Intelligent Marmalade. With Insurethebox, you buy 6,000 miles of cover each year but then earn bonus miles through safe driving. Intelligent Marmalade, due to launch its product shortly, is planning prizes and rewards for safe driving. AA Insurance will be launching its own tracker cover in the autumn.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1389518/Trackers-Black-box-saved-Corsa-premiums.html#ixzz1N3XdMg1G
Steffan Hutton has had a cruel introduction to the world of motoring. Barely three weeks after buying his first car last month, 17-year-old Steffan got up for work to find that his pride and joy had been stolen.
His R-registration Vauxhall Corsa had been parked outside the home where Steffan lives with his parents, Martin, 43, and Pamela, 40, and his brother Anthony, 20.
Thieves had broken into the house overnight and grabbed a handful of valuables and the keys to the car, which they used to make a getaway. But Steffan, an apprentice electrician from Bradford, West Yorkshire, had one consolation.
Relief: Steffan Hutton recovered his car soon after it was taken from his parents' home
He is one of a growing number of young motorists who have agreed to have their driving monitored in the hope of qualifying for cheaper insurance premiums. His car is fitted with a satellite-tracking system, recording where and how he drives.
A useful bonus is that this black box technology doubles as a theft tracker, which means the car can be located quickly if it is stolen.
Martin, a civil servant, says: ‘As soon as I woke up and realised what had happened, we got straight on to the tracker company. It then informed the police.’
Less than 15 minutes later, police found Steffan’s car abandoned only half a mile away near a park. Martin says: ‘An officer had just arrived at our house to take details of the break-in when the message came through on his radio that the car had been found. It was such a relief.’
The keys were missing and there was one scratch, but the car was otherwise undamaged. Recovering it quickly also meant that there was no time for vandals to get to work on the abandoned car and no need for Steffan to make any insurance claim or pay the £350 theft excess.
Steffan bought his cover with Cooperative Insurance, which launched the Smartbox young driver plan in March. The black box monitors braking and acceleration forces, cornering and speed. It also tracks when a car is used, as most accidents involving young drivers occur late at night. The data is combined to create a driver rating, from one (dangerous) to five (safe).
Premiums are reviewed every 90 days in line with the rating. Those who score four or five are rewarded, saving potentially 15 per cent. Those who score one or two will see premiums rise, with the worst paying 20 per cent more.
Drivers can get feedback on each day’s driving via a website and get emails every six weeks with their latest ranking.
Steffan, who uses his car for work, is averaging a driving score of five. ‘I am keen to get a discount,’ he says. ‘Most of the time I find it fairly easy to keep smooth and steady, though sometimes the drivers behind get frustrated because you’re going at the speed limit.’
The rocketing cost of insurance for young drivers has created an opening for this kind of black box technology. The average premium for drivers aged 17 to 22 has risen by a staggering 64 per cent in the past 12 months to £2,431, according to AA Insurance.
While the Government is keen to improve training for novice drivers (see above), satellite trackers are an easy way for drivers in their teens and early 20s to show that they are not boy racers and so be rewarded with cheaper insurance.
Steffan pays almost £2,000 a year for cover, though he has the chance to trim this by up to £300 in the first year if he keeps driving well. In year two, premiums should fall further if there is 12 months of sensible driving. Likewise, if insurers record reckless behaviour they will raise premiums or even cancel cover.
Other companies to offer trackers include Insurethebox and Intelligent Marmalade. With Insurethebox, you buy 6,000 miles of cover each year but then earn bonus miles through safe driving. Intelligent Marmalade, due to launch its product shortly, is planning prizes and rewards for safe driving. AA Insurance will be launching its own tracker cover in the autumn.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1389518/Trackers-Black-box-saved-Corsa-premiums.html#ixzz1N3XdMg1G
Friday, May 20, 2011
USA police cleared a man after a review of his car's data recorder,
http://www.newsleader.com/article/20110519/NEWS01/105190334/Police-follow-crash-leads
STAUNTON — Since putting out an "all-points bulletin" to the public two weeks ago following a deadly crash on Little Calf Pasture Highway, Virginia State Police have been inundated with tips concerning a white, older-model car believed to have caused the fatal May 6 wreck.
Last week, state police cleared a man after a review of his car's data recorder, a "Snapshot" device installed by the Progressive Casualty Insurance Company, showed his car was not in operation at the time of the wreck that took the life of a 15-year-old Craigsville boy.
STAUNTON — Since putting out an "all-points bulletin" to the public two weeks ago following a deadly crash on Little Calf Pasture Highway, Virginia State Police have been inundated with tips concerning a white, older-model car believed to have caused the fatal May 6 wreck.
Last week, state police cleared a man after a review of his car's data recorder, a "Snapshot" device installed by the Progressive Casualty Insurance Company, showed his car was not in operation at the time of the wreck that took the life of a 15-year-old Craigsville boy.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Cobra Telematics eyes car insurance growth
Cobra Telematics eyes car insurance growth
http://www.businesscar.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=7321
12 May, 2011
Cobra Telematics last week launched a raft of new services for car insurers at the Insurance Telematics Europe 2011 conference in London.
Cobra, which specialises in alert and theft management services, introduced technology that it claims can help insurers reduce customer risk through providing drivers with data on, for example, speed limits, road types, acceleration and deceleration to encourage safer and more economical driving.
Based on satellite technology, Cobra says its technology can also deliver information to reconstruct the events of accidents, enabling claim handling to become more transparent and efficient for both insurer and insured driver.
Cobra points out that in the case of a serious accident an immediate alert can be sent to emergency services with an exact location of the incident.
The firm’s network of 36 centres across Europe provides certified stolen vehicle recovery services in the event of theft of an insured car.
Thomas Becher, Cobra’s marketing vice-president, said: “We understand the demands of the car insurance industry and we will take up the challenge to deliver valuable service propositions to both the car insurance industry and to car drivers.”
http://www.businesscar.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=7321
12 May, 2011
Cobra Telematics last week launched a raft of new services for car insurers at the Insurance Telematics Europe 2011 conference in London.
Cobra, which specialises in alert and theft management services, introduced technology that it claims can help insurers reduce customer risk through providing drivers with data on, for example, speed limits, road types, acceleration and deceleration to encourage safer and more economical driving.
Based on satellite technology, Cobra says its technology can also deliver information to reconstruct the events of accidents, enabling claim handling to become more transparent and efficient for both insurer and insured driver.
Cobra points out that in the case of a serious accident an immediate alert can be sent to emergency services with an exact location of the incident.
The firm’s network of 36 centres across Europe provides certified stolen vehicle recovery services in the event of theft of an insured car.
Thomas Becher, Cobra’s marketing vice-president, said: “We understand the demands of the car insurance industry and we will take up the challenge to deliver valuable service propositions to both the car insurance industry and to car drivers.”
Monday, May 16, 2011
SA Road Safety Minister Tom Kenyon backs lifting driving age to 18
http://www.news.com.au/road-safety-minister-tom-kenyon-backs-lifting-driving-age-to-18/story-e6frea83-1226054619244?from=public_rss
YOUTH advocates have demanded the SA Government dump a proposal to raise the driving age to 18.
Road Safety Minister Tom Kenyon yesterday floated a proposal to lift the driving age as part of a 10-year strategy to cut car accident casualty and death tolls.
It came after the Government released a 36-page discussion paper, drafted by the Road Safety Advisory Council, outlining plans to cut the road toll to under 80 deaths by 2020.
It recommends improving roads, overhauling speed limits, and
updating the licensing system for young drivers.
While it does not explicitly call for changing the driving age, Mr Kenyon told The Advertiser: "We have to bite the bullet at some point."
Mr Kenyon said he was considering several reform options, including simply withholding the granting of P-plates until a driver's 18th birthday.
Should the driving age be lifted?
Should the driving age be lifted from 16 to 18?
Yes
No
Vote now
Related Coverage
Video: Tyele's Story: To live or die
Editorial: Reduce our road toll
Adelaide Now, 3 days ago
Minister backs lifting driving age
Adelaide Now, 3 days ago
Police blitz on country roads
Adelaide Now, 20 Apr 2011
Students missing road safety message
Adelaide Now, 31 Mar 2011
Lethal drivers have no limits
Herald Sun, 29 Mar 2011
Delaying the issuing of learner plates beyond the current age of 16 is also being debated.
Current restrictions allow a person to drive unaccompanied as early as their 17th birthday.
Youth Affairs Council of South Australia executive director Anne Bainbridge said the proposed changes would unfairly penalise competent young drivers.
"Raising the legal age for driving would create significant barriers to employment, education, training and social activities, and it will particularly impact regional and rural communities," she said yesterday.
"We accept that young people are over-represented in the crash statistics, and we also get that there are a number of factors that mean young people are more likely to be involved in crashes.
"We share the concerns of the broader community around young people's road safety, but we're cautioning against a punitive response."
Ms Bainbridge said better training for learner drivers should be targeted to fix the problem.
Latest police statistics show four people younger than 25 have been killed on the state's roads this year, compared with 11 deaths of people aged 60 and older.
But, long-term data shows people aged younger than 25 are three
times more likely to be involved in a serious accident.
The draft South Australian Road Safety Strategy 2020 states 90 per cent of all accidents are because of "mistakes or common lapses in judgment" and not risk-taking. Proposed measures to cut the road toll include:
RAISING spending on new roads and funding to upgrade old roads.
CUTTING speeds limits on suburban and major roads.
LIFTING enforcement of existing speed limits, including increasing the number of "point-to-point" speed cameras on highways.
PROMOTING use of new in-car technology allowing drivers to set a desired speed and eliminate the risk of going over.
ENCOURAGING the development and marketability of safer cars.
The strategy will be available for public comment until June 10.
Mr Kenyon said experience in Victoria had proved the merits of increasing the minimum driving age.
He said older teens had better-developed brains and were more able to comprehend the consequences of their actions.
Road Safety Advisory Council chairman Sir Eric Neal said 16 was too young to be driving and modern motorists faced increased risks from congestion and higher maximum vehicle speeds.
"Where the speed limits have been reduced there's been a significant drop in the road toll," he said.
Cutting the speed limit in suburban Adelaide to 50km/h led to a 20 per cent cut to fatalities and injuries, Sir Eric said.
"Speed should be related to the roads and the condition of the roads," he said.
"Some roads are quite capable of 110 or 100 (km/h). Other roads may only be safe at 80."
RAA managing director Ian Stone said the Government should increase spending on roads.
Opposition road safety spokesman Mark Goldsworthy accused Mr Kenyon of "making policy on the run".
"This proposal isn't even in the strategy document he was announcing," Mr Goldsworthy said.
"People can't be expected to engage in meaningful consultation if they haven't even been told what they're supposed to be responding to."
Aldinga Beach school student Dylan Saunders, 16, will do his final driving test tomorrow before getting his provisional licence.
If the age were raised to 18, he probably would give up his part-time job because of transport difficulties.
Print
Read more: http://www.news.com.auhttp://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/road-safety-minister-tom-kenyon-backs-lifting-driving-age-to-18/story-e6frea83-1226054619244#ixzz1MTe1VUA8
YOUTH advocates have demanded the SA Government dump a proposal to raise the driving age to 18.
Road Safety Minister Tom Kenyon yesterday floated a proposal to lift the driving age as part of a 10-year strategy to cut car accident casualty and death tolls.
It came after the Government released a 36-page discussion paper, drafted by the Road Safety Advisory Council, outlining plans to cut the road toll to under 80 deaths by 2020.
It recommends improving roads, overhauling speed limits, and
updating the licensing system for young drivers.
While it does not explicitly call for changing the driving age, Mr Kenyon told The Advertiser: "We have to bite the bullet at some point."
Mr Kenyon said he was considering several reform options, including simply withholding the granting of P-plates until a driver's 18th birthday.
Should the driving age be lifted?
Should the driving age be lifted from 16 to 18?
Yes
No
Vote now
Related Coverage
Video: Tyele's Story: To live or die
Editorial: Reduce our road toll
Adelaide Now, 3 days ago
Minister backs lifting driving age
Adelaide Now, 3 days ago
Police blitz on country roads
Adelaide Now, 20 Apr 2011
Students missing road safety message
Adelaide Now, 31 Mar 2011
Lethal drivers have no limits
Herald Sun, 29 Mar 2011
Delaying the issuing of learner plates beyond the current age of 16 is also being debated.
Current restrictions allow a person to drive unaccompanied as early as their 17th birthday.
Youth Affairs Council of South Australia executive director Anne Bainbridge said the proposed changes would unfairly penalise competent young drivers.
"Raising the legal age for driving would create significant barriers to employment, education, training and social activities, and it will particularly impact regional and rural communities," she said yesterday.
"We accept that young people are over-represented in the crash statistics, and we also get that there are a number of factors that mean young people are more likely to be involved in crashes.
"We share the concerns of the broader community around young people's road safety, but we're cautioning against a punitive response."
Ms Bainbridge said better training for learner drivers should be targeted to fix the problem.
Latest police statistics show four people younger than 25 have been killed on the state's roads this year, compared with 11 deaths of people aged 60 and older.
But, long-term data shows people aged younger than 25 are three
times more likely to be involved in a serious accident.
The draft South Australian Road Safety Strategy 2020 states 90 per cent of all accidents are because of "mistakes or common lapses in judgment" and not risk-taking. Proposed measures to cut the road toll include:
RAISING spending on new roads and funding to upgrade old roads.
CUTTING speeds limits on suburban and major roads.
LIFTING enforcement of existing speed limits, including increasing the number of "point-to-point" speed cameras on highways.
PROMOTING use of new in-car technology allowing drivers to set a desired speed and eliminate the risk of going over.
ENCOURAGING the development and marketability of safer cars.
The strategy will be available for public comment until June 10.
Mr Kenyon said experience in Victoria had proved the merits of increasing the minimum driving age.
He said older teens had better-developed brains and were more able to comprehend the consequences of their actions.
Road Safety Advisory Council chairman Sir Eric Neal said 16 was too young to be driving and modern motorists faced increased risks from congestion and higher maximum vehicle speeds.
"Where the speed limits have been reduced there's been a significant drop in the road toll," he said.
Cutting the speed limit in suburban Adelaide to 50km/h led to a 20 per cent cut to fatalities and injuries, Sir Eric said.
"Speed should be related to the roads and the condition of the roads," he said.
"Some roads are quite capable of 110 or 100 (km/h). Other roads may only be safe at 80."
RAA managing director Ian Stone said the Government should increase spending on roads.
Opposition road safety spokesman Mark Goldsworthy accused Mr Kenyon of "making policy on the run".
"This proposal isn't even in the strategy document he was announcing," Mr Goldsworthy said.
"People can't be expected to engage in meaningful consultation if they haven't even been told what they're supposed to be responding to."
Aldinga Beach school student Dylan Saunders, 16, will do his final driving test tomorrow before getting his provisional licence.
If the age were raised to 18, he probably would give up his part-time job because of transport difficulties.
Read more: http://www.news.com.auhttp://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/road-safety-minister-tom-kenyon-backs-lifting-driving-age-to-18/story-e6frea83-1226054619244#ixzz1MTe1VUA8
New Canadian Study Evaluates Pay-As-You-Drive Vehicle Insurance
New Study Evaluates Pay-As-You-Drive Vehicle Insurance. Identifies
> Significant Potential Benefits to Motorists, the Economy and the
> Environment.*
>
>
>
> *Pay-As-You-Drive Vehicle Insurance in British Columbia* (
> http://www.pics.uvic.ca/assets/pdf/publications/PAYD_Insurance.pdf )
>
> By Todd Litman of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute for the Pacific
> Institute for Climate Solutions.
>
> ===================================
>
>
>
> Insurance is one of the largest motor vehicle expenses, costing about
> $1,200 annually for a typical automobile. Conventional insurance is a fixed
> cost with respect to vehicle use; moderate reductions in vehicle travel
> provide no savings to motorists. An alternative price structure, called *Pay-As-You-Drive
> *(PAYD), changes insurance into a variable cost, so motorists save money
> when they reduce their mileage. As a result, they tend to drive less.
>
> A new report, *Pay-As-You-Drive Vehicle Insurance in British Columbia*,
> written by Todd Litman of the *Victoria Transport Policy Institute* for
> the *Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions* evaluates the feasibility,
> benefits and costs of Pay-As-You-Drive insurance in British Columbia. The
> analysis indicates that PAYD pricing could provide significant benefits to
> motorists, the economy, and the environment.
>
> Various studies indicate that reducing vehicle travel reduces crashes. PAYD
> does not simply shift costs from one group to another: premium reductions
> reflect, in part, the savings that result when motorists reduce their annual
> vehicle mileage and therefore claim costs. As a result, it need not reduce
> insurance company profitability.
>
> Under most proposals PAYD would be a user option, so motorists could choose
> the price structure that best meets their needs. Only motorists who expect
> to save money would choose PAYD.
>
> In addition to consumer savings, PAYD pricing tends to reduce energy
> consumption, carbon and other pollution emissions, and traffic congestion.
> It increases insurance affordability by giving motorists a new way to save
> money, and it is progressive with respect to income since lower-income
> motorists tend to drive less than average.
>
> The report evaluates several possible implementation methods. A relatively
> simple approach, called *basic PAYD*, prorates existing premiums by the
> average annual mileage of each rate class, so a $600 premium becomes 3¢ per
> kilometre, and a $1,800 premium becomes 9¢ per kilometre. Mileage can be
> verified with digital photos taken by motorists or insurance brokers at the
> start and end of the policy term. Because it has low implementation costs,
> this approach is predicted to have the largest potential market and provide
> the largest savings and benefits.
>
> PAYD insurance is not currently available in British Columbia but has been
> implemented elsewhere, including in the United States, Europe and
> Australia.
>
>
>
> * * *
>
> The *Victoria Transport Policy Institute* (www.vtpi.org) is an independent
> research organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to
> transport problems.
>
> Significant Potential Benefits to Motorists, the Economy and the
> Environment.*
>
>
>
> *Pay-As-You-Drive Vehicle Insurance in British Columbia* (
> http://www.pics.uvic.ca/assets/pdf/publications/PAYD_Insurance.pdf )
>
> By Todd Litman of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute for the Pacific
> Institute for Climate Solutions.
>
> ===================================
>
>
>
> Insurance is one of the largest motor vehicle expenses, costing about
> $1,200 annually for a typical automobile. Conventional insurance is a fixed
> cost with respect to vehicle use; moderate reductions in vehicle travel
> provide no savings to motorists. An alternative price structure, called *Pay-As-You-Drive
> *(PAYD), changes insurance into a variable cost, so motorists save money
> when they reduce their mileage. As a result, they tend to drive less.
>
> A new report, *Pay-As-You-Drive Vehicle Insurance in British Columbia*,
> written by Todd Litman of the *Victoria Transport Policy Institute* for
> the *Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions* evaluates the feasibility,
> benefits and costs of Pay-As-You-Drive insurance in British Columbia. The
> analysis indicates that PAYD pricing could provide significant benefits to
> motorists, the economy, and the environment.
>
> Various studies indicate that reducing vehicle travel reduces crashes. PAYD
> does not simply shift costs from one group to another: premium reductions
> reflect, in part, the savings that result when motorists reduce their annual
> vehicle mileage and therefore claim costs. As a result, it need not reduce
> insurance company profitability.
>
> Under most proposals PAYD would be a user option, so motorists could choose
> the price structure that best meets their needs. Only motorists who expect
> to save money would choose PAYD.
>
> In addition to consumer savings, PAYD pricing tends to reduce energy
> consumption, carbon and other pollution emissions, and traffic congestion.
> It increases insurance affordability by giving motorists a new way to save
> money, and it is progressive with respect to income since lower-income
> motorists tend to drive less than average.
>
> The report evaluates several possible implementation methods. A relatively
> simple approach, called *basic PAYD*, prorates existing premiums by the
> average annual mileage of each rate class, so a $600 premium becomes 3¢ per
> kilometre, and a $1,800 premium becomes 9¢ per kilometre. Mileage can be
> verified with digital photos taken by motorists or insurance brokers at the
> start and end of the policy term. Because it has low implementation costs,
> this approach is predicted to have the largest potential market and provide
> the largest savings and benefits.
>
> PAYD insurance is not currently available in British Columbia but has been
> implemented elsewhere, including in the United States, Europe and
> Australia.
>
>
>
> * * *
>
> The *Victoria Transport Policy Institute* (www.vtpi.org) is an independent
> research organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to
> transport problems.
>
Sunday, May 15, 2011
responsible drivers who take too many small risks
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/9431339/good-drivers-crash-more-than-hoons/
So-called responsible drivers who take too many small risks - such as travelling a bit over the speed limit - cause more serious traffic crashes than hoons, a key road safety adviser says.
Professor D'Arcy Holman, who chairs the WA Road Safety Council, said it was a myth that hoons driving at reckless speeds were the worst menace on WA roads.
A far bigger problem was the thousands of generally "good" drivers who took frequent smaller risks, such as low-level speeding.
They contributed to 3000 fatalities and serious injuries each year.
"We certainly don't want anti-social hoon behaviour on our roads but it's the less conspicuous speeding behaviour of the general public that really matters in terms of safety outcomes," he said.
"We need to target not so much the high-risk behaviour by a few but go after the majority.
"Hoon drivers massively increase their risk of a crash but the bottom line is not many people do that whereas you have many drivers going over the limit, which even by 5km/h doubles the risk of a crash."
Professor Holman, a public health expert, said motorists were generally slowing down.
New figures from Main Roads showed six per cent of metropolitan drivers exceeded the speed limit by 10km/h or more last year, down from 13 per cent in 2000.
Nine per cent of country drivers were speeding a decade ago but this fell to five per cent last year.
He said speed cameras were likely to have been the strongest deterrent because many people eventually got sick of paying fines.
"I think most people would be pleasantly surprised by the figures because we've had some people infer WA's speeding behaviour is out of control and that's not the case," he said.
But he said WA still had the worst road safety record in Australia.
He said this was often wrongly blamed on the size of the State and people driving long distances.
He also warned the number of crashes could rise significantly because of the State's economic boom.
"I'm worried that our economic prosperity will push up the number of road crashes because as the gross domestic product goes up, which is generally a good thing for our health, it means more people will buy cars and spend longer on the roads," he said.
"WA is the economic powerhouse of the country so it has special responsibility to put money back into infrastructure and it's well within our capacity to meet the costs of fixing up our roads."
Professor Holman said audible edge lining and wider shoulders on country roads were a good start and would reduce country road deaths.
So-called responsible drivers who take too many small risks - such as travelling a bit over the speed limit - cause more serious traffic crashes than hoons, a key road safety adviser says.
Professor D'Arcy Holman, who chairs the WA Road Safety Council, said it was a myth that hoons driving at reckless speeds were the worst menace on WA roads.
A far bigger problem was the thousands of generally "good" drivers who took frequent smaller risks, such as low-level speeding.
They contributed to 3000 fatalities and serious injuries each year.
"We certainly don't want anti-social hoon behaviour on our roads but it's the less conspicuous speeding behaviour of the general public that really matters in terms of safety outcomes," he said.
"We need to target not so much the high-risk behaviour by a few but go after the majority.
"Hoon drivers massively increase their risk of a crash but the bottom line is not many people do that whereas you have many drivers going over the limit, which even by 5km/h doubles the risk of a crash."
Professor Holman, a public health expert, said motorists were generally slowing down.
New figures from Main Roads showed six per cent of metropolitan drivers exceeded the speed limit by 10km/h or more last year, down from 13 per cent in 2000.
Nine per cent of country drivers were speeding a decade ago but this fell to five per cent last year.
He said speed cameras were likely to have been the strongest deterrent because many people eventually got sick of paying fines.
"I think most people would be pleasantly surprised by the figures because we've had some people infer WA's speeding behaviour is out of control and that's not the case," he said.
But he said WA still had the worst road safety record in Australia.
He said this was often wrongly blamed on the size of the State and people driving long distances.
He also warned the number of crashes could rise significantly because of the State's economic boom.
"I'm worried that our economic prosperity will push up the number of road crashes because as the gross domestic product goes up, which is generally a good thing for our health, it means more people will buy cars and spend longer on the roads," he said.
"WA is the economic powerhouse of the country so it has special responsibility to put money back into infrastructure and it's well within our capacity to meet the costs of fixing up our roads."
Professor Holman said audible edge lining and wider shoulders on country roads were a good start and would reduce country road deaths.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
The Insurance Telematics Industry is on the Cusp of a Revolution
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/5/prweb8414965.htm
(PRWEB) May 13, 2011
The Insurance Telematics Industry is on the Cusp of a Revolution,
According to a new report from FC Business Intelligence, the market is projected to expand rapidly from $50 million in sales of UBI devices in 2011 to approx. $2.6 billion by 2015.
There are already several companies leading the charge towards mass – market telematics: Progressive’s Snapshot(SM) has been approved in 32 states, GMAC’s Mileage Discount is available in 35 states and Allstate are aspiring to live up to their name.
Furthermore, the majority of other major insurers are running extensive pilot schemes. The court cases are still rumbling on, but now many states are actively encouraging Usage Based Insurance (UBI) policies and legislative barriers are finally beginning to fall.
Is Your Company Ready to Join the Revolution?
There are numerous challenges currently facing the industry, including IP and litigation issues, consumer acceptance, privacy concerns and the creation of a viable business model, but these are vastly outweighed by the ever-growing number of opportunities and the size of the potential rewards.
To address these critical challenges and drive industry growth, the pioneers and leaders of the sector, including:
Robin Harbage (Towers Watson), Dave Huber (GMAC), Steven Armstrong (Allstate), Steven Fernandes (The Hartford), Partha Goswami (General Motors), Chris Carver (Libertry Mutual) and Harald Trautsch (Octo Telematics), are coming together in Chicago on September 8 – 9th at the Insurance Telematics USA Conference & Expo.
These experts will address key industry challenges, such as:
Building strategic partnerships
IP & litigation issues
Data management & analysis
The impact of Federal & State regulations
Succeeding within the commercial insurance space
Boosting consumer acceptance of UBI
Smartphone & apps integration
Exploiting new revenue streams within the emerging ecosystem
And much, much more.
"THE telematics event of the year for those interested in the insurance telematics marketplace - both for insurers and their suppliers.”
Fred Blumer - Hughes Telematics
Last year’s show was a complete sell-out. Over 300 senior level industry leaders attended and 86% of them said that they would recommend the show to a friend or colleague. Alex Laurie, Consulting Actuary at Towers Watson, said the event is “critical for players in this space."
For the complete Insurance Telematics USA 2011 conference program and speaker line-up, access the e-brochure at http://www.telematicsupdate.com/insurance-telematics/download-brochure.shtml, or contact the Telematics Update team at: insurance(at)telematicsupdate(dot)com.
Register via the secure link: https://secure.telematicsupdate.com/insurance-telematics/register.shtml
Telematics Update conferences are the most prestigious in the industry. We produce the largest telematics events in North America, Europe & Asia, and attract the most influential speakers, providing a rich environment for establishing strategic relationships and networking.
Contact:
Ben Gill
Conference Director | Telematics Update
T: +44 20 7375 7585 (Global) / 1 800 814 3459 ext 7585 (USA Toll Free)
E: bgill(at)telematicsupdate(dot)com
W: http://www.insurancetelematicsusa.com
###
(PRWEB) May 13, 2011
The Insurance Telematics Industry is on the Cusp of a Revolution,
According to a new report from FC Business Intelligence, the market is projected to expand rapidly from $50 million in sales of UBI devices in 2011 to approx. $2.6 billion by 2015.
There are already several companies leading the charge towards mass – market telematics: Progressive’s Snapshot(SM) has been approved in 32 states, GMAC’s Mileage Discount is available in 35 states and Allstate are aspiring to live up to their name.
Furthermore, the majority of other major insurers are running extensive pilot schemes. The court cases are still rumbling on, but now many states are actively encouraging Usage Based Insurance (UBI) policies and legislative barriers are finally beginning to fall.
Is Your Company Ready to Join the Revolution?
There are numerous challenges currently facing the industry, including IP and litigation issues, consumer acceptance, privacy concerns and the creation of a viable business model, but these are vastly outweighed by the ever-growing number of opportunities and the size of the potential rewards.
To address these critical challenges and drive industry growth, the pioneers and leaders of the sector, including:
Robin Harbage (Towers Watson), Dave Huber (GMAC), Steven Armstrong (Allstate), Steven Fernandes (The Hartford), Partha Goswami (General Motors), Chris Carver (Libertry Mutual) and Harald Trautsch (Octo Telematics), are coming together in Chicago on September 8 – 9th at the Insurance Telematics USA Conference & Expo.
These experts will address key industry challenges, such as:
Building strategic partnerships
IP & litigation issues
Data management & analysis
The impact of Federal & State regulations
Succeeding within the commercial insurance space
Boosting consumer acceptance of UBI
Smartphone & apps integration
Exploiting new revenue streams within the emerging ecosystem
And much, much more.
"THE telematics event of the year for those interested in the insurance telematics marketplace - both for insurers and their suppliers.”
Fred Blumer - Hughes Telematics
Last year’s show was a complete sell-out. Over 300 senior level industry leaders attended and 86% of them said that they would recommend the show to a friend or colleague. Alex Laurie, Consulting Actuary at Towers Watson, said the event is “critical for players in this space."
For the complete Insurance Telematics USA 2011 conference program and speaker line-up, access the e-brochure at http://www.telematicsupdate.com/insurance-telematics/download-brochure.shtml, or contact the Telematics Update team at: insurance(at)telematicsupdate(dot)com.
Register via the secure link: https://secure.telematicsupdate.com/insurance-telematics/register.shtml
Telematics Update conferences are the most prestigious in the industry. We produce the largest telematics events in North America, Europe & Asia, and attract the most influential speakers, providing a rich environment for establishing strategic relationships and networking.
Contact:
Ben Gill
Conference Director | Telematics Update
T: +44 20 7375 7585 (Global) / 1 800 814 3459 ext 7585 (USA Toll Free)
E: bgill(at)telematicsupdate(dot)com
W: http://www.insurancetelematicsusa.com
###
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Gadget helps Progressive offer insurance discount
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20045433-48.html
With Progressive's Snapshot mileage-based tracking device, not just how many miles you drive but also how you're driving them could affect your insurance rate.
Progressive is the latest automotive insurance provider to promote a voluntary program that lets agencies offer discounted premiums based on mileage. The company recently began promoting the campaign nationally on television, and Snapshot is available in 30 states. The program uses a device that drivers plug into their cars to monitor the time of day that they're driving, the distance they travel, and how hard they're braking. Data is transmitted to Progressive using the Snapshot's internal wireless modem. The best drivers who also rarely get behind the wheel can save up to 30 percent in this opt-in program. But is Snapshot's gentle braking monitoring a form of technology feature creep?
Drivers plug Snapshot into a vehicle's diagnostics port under the steering wheel column. The device doesn't use GPS to track where the drivers go, but it logs how far they drive and when they're driving. After 30 days, Progressive gives incremental discounts to customers who travel less than the average driver in their state (the national average is 12,000 miles). After six months, the driver returns the device and Progressive will lock in a rate that reflects that driver's overall risk profile. But the profile goes beyond mileage, and uses information such as the times of day participants travel and how often they slam on brakes to set the discounted rate.
Other insurance companies use less technically invasive ways to offer mileage-based discounts. State Farm subscribers self-report mileage, and GMAC uses OnStar vehicle diagnostics reports. However, Progressive bundles its mileage premium with time-of-day-based driving and braking habits. Allstate's Drive Wise goes one step further and uses a similar device to track mileage, braking, and speeds over 80 mph, but only in Illinois.
The idea of insurance companies monitoring driving habits sounds intrusive, but because Progressive's optional Snapshot is only used to determine eligibility for discounts and not to set or increase rates, it complies with insurance regulations. But these new developments show that insurance companies are looking to technology for more driver data and as a way to provide incentives rather than penalties to encourage safe driving. At the 2011 Mobile World Congress, Accenture, Vodafone, and Qualcomm promoted their partnerships with European automotive insurance groups that are using GPS technology and embedded telematics to track--and bill accordingly--driving behaviors. That level of monitoring hasn't yet made it stateside, but it's probably coming. And it raises the question, how much privacy are drivers willing to trade for cheaper auto insurance?
Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20045433-48.html#ixzz1M6tVOyZk
With Progressive's Snapshot mileage-based tracking device, not just how many miles you drive but also how you're driving them could affect your insurance rate.
Progressive is the latest automotive insurance provider to promote a voluntary program that lets agencies offer discounted premiums based on mileage. The company recently began promoting the campaign nationally on television, and Snapshot is available in 30 states. The program uses a device that drivers plug into their cars to monitor the time of day that they're driving, the distance they travel, and how hard they're braking. Data is transmitted to Progressive using the Snapshot's internal wireless modem. The best drivers who also rarely get behind the wheel can save up to 30 percent in this opt-in program. But is Snapshot's gentle braking monitoring a form of technology feature creep?
Drivers plug Snapshot into a vehicle's diagnostics port under the steering wheel column. The device doesn't use GPS to track where the drivers go, but it logs how far they drive and when they're driving. After 30 days, Progressive gives incremental discounts to customers who travel less than the average driver in their state (the national average is 12,000 miles). After six months, the driver returns the device and Progressive will lock in a rate that reflects that driver's overall risk profile. But the profile goes beyond mileage, and uses information such as the times of day participants travel and how often they slam on brakes to set the discounted rate.
Other insurance companies use less technically invasive ways to offer mileage-based discounts. State Farm subscribers self-report mileage, and GMAC uses OnStar vehicle diagnostics reports. However, Progressive bundles its mileage premium with time-of-day-based driving and braking habits. Allstate's Drive Wise goes one step further and uses a similar device to track mileage, braking, and speeds over 80 mph, but only in Illinois.
The idea of insurance companies monitoring driving habits sounds intrusive, but because Progressive's optional Snapshot is only used to determine eligibility for discounts and not to set or increase rates, it complies with insurance regulations. But these new developments show that insurance companies are looking to technology for more driver data and as a way to provide incentives rather than penalties to encourage safe driving. At the 2011 Mobile World Congress, Accenture, Vodafone, and Qualcomm promoted their partnerships with European automotive insurance groups that are using GPS technology and embedded telematics to track--and bill accordingly--driving behaviors. That level of monitoring hasn't yet made it stateside, but it's probably coming. And it raises the question, how much privacy are drivers willing to trade for cheaper auto insurance?
Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-20045433-48.html#ixzz1M6tVOyZk
Australian Road Safety Awards Launched
http://www.caradvice.com.au/118408/australian-road-safety-awards-launched/
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the lives of five million people could be saved and a massive fifty million serious injuries prevented over the next decade if the world embraces the implementation of road safety programmes more seriously.
As part of the process to help stop the ever increasing world-wide road toll, the United Nations General Assembly has declared the first ever “Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020”.
The annual Australian road toll is relatively minor on the world scale (roughly 1,500 per year over the last five years – compared to 500,000+/year worldwide), however for each recorded fatality there is about 12 serious injuries which are also a huge emotional and financial drain on the nation.
The good folks who run the Fatality Free Friday Road Safety Foundation (FFFRSF) have registered with the FIA Foundation in support of the UN’s decade of action plan. As part of the FFFRSF’s commitment, they are launching the Australian Road Safety Awards.
The first one of its kind will be held in November 2011 to recognise all significant innovations that have helped improve road safety in Australia.
The aim is to gain media, government and public awareness about road and driver safety to help promote solutions to road safety issues across all sectors.
FFFRSF Chairman Russell White says “As well as formally recognising stakeholders’ commitment to improving road safety outcomes, the Road Safety Awards will encourage further community engagement, professional development for corporate organisations and most importantly, individual action on reducing road trauma. The Awards will encourage new standards of excellence in the road safety industry and in turn, will act as a catalyst to increase road safety activities across the nation.”
The foundation has already just finishing running the World’s Largest Driving Lesson (4 May 2011) and is gearing up for Fatality Free Friday (27 May 2011).
Categories for the national Awards programme include
Community Programs;
School Programs;
Small Business Fleets;
Automotive Industry Safety;
Transport Industry Award;
Corporate Fleet Safety;
Indigenous Road Safety;
Local Government Initiatives;
State Government Initiatives;
Innovation;
Media;
Founder’s Award for Outstanding Achievement.
Got any great ideas about improving road safety or know an organisation/person who is actively doing just that? Leave us a comment and let us know. Also don’t forget you have to register to be considered (open from tomorrow).
How do you think CarAdvice can help to promote road safety initiatives? Remember, we are not talking about more speed camera and ‘slow down stupid’ type campaigns, but the more practical solutions that actually work.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the lives of five million people could be saved and a massive fifty million serious injuries prevented over the next decade if the world embraces the implementation of road safety programmes more seriously.
As part of the process to help stop the ever increasing world-wide road toll, the United Nations General Assembly has declared the first ever “Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020”.
The annual Australian road toll is relatively minor on the world scale (roughly 1,500 per year over the last five years – compared to 500,000+/year worldwide), however for each recorded fatality there is about 12 serious injuries which are also a huge emotional and financial drain on the nation.
The good folks who run the Fatality Free Friday Road Safety Foundation (FFFRSF) have registered with the FIA Foundation in support of the UN’s decade of action plan. As part of the FFFRSF’s commitment, they are launching the Australian Road Safety Awards.
The first one of its kind will be held in November 2011 to recognise all significant innovations that have helped improve road safety in Australia.
The aim is to gain media, government and public awareness about road and driver safety to help promote solutions to road safety issues across all sectors.
FFFRSF Chairman Russell White says “As well as formally recognising stakeholders’ commitment to improving road safety outcomes, the Road Safety Awards will encourage further community engagement, professional development for corporate organisations and most importantly, individual action on reducing road trauma. The Awards will encourage new standards of excellence in the road safety industry and in turn, will act as a catalyst to increase road safety activities across the nation.”
The foundation has already just finishing running the World’s Largest Driving Lesson (4 May 2011) and is gearing up for Fatality Free Friday (27 May 2011).
Categories for the national Awards programme include
Community Programs;
School Programs;
Small Business Fleets;
Automotive Industry Safety;
Transport Industry Award;
Corporate Fleet Safety;
Indigenous Road Safety;
Local Government Initiatives;
State Government Initiatives;
Innovation;
Media;
Founder’s Award for Outstanding Achievement.
Got any great ideas about improving road safety or know an organisation/person who is actively doing just that? Leave us a comment and let us know. Also don’t forget you have to register to be considered (open from tomorrow).
How do you think CarAdvice can help to promote road safety initiatives? Remember, we are not talking about more speed camera and ‘slow down stupid’ type campaigns, but the more practical solutions that actually work.
UN "Decade Of Safety" Message Comes To Australia
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/51788/un-decade-of-safety-message-comes-to-australia?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheMotorReport+%28The+Motor+Report%29
The United Nations launched its Decade Of Action For Road Safety campaign this week, and Australia's governments and motoring organisations have been quick to adopt the message.
The aim of the ten-year campaign is to reduce the global road toll. It calls on UN member nations to take greater action in improving road safety management, post-crash response, vehicle safety, motorist behaviour and education.
According to the UN, one person is killed or seriously injured on the world's roads every six seconds, with around 3500 fatalities each day.
For young people, road trauma is the global number one cause of death for those aged between 18 and 25.
In Queensland, the RACQ is pushing for State and Federal governments to upgrade the Bruce and Warrego highways - two roads that went virtually unnoticed in this week's 2011 Federal Budget.
“This was an opportunity to make a strong commitment to improving these major arterial highways which are the lifeblood of communities and vital for our tourism, agricultural and mining industries," RACQ’s General Manager External Relations, Paul Turner said.
"This budget is a case of an opportunity lost when it comes to flood-proofing our highways."
RACQ CEO Ian Gillespie said that Queensland's road toll has fallen considerably over the past 30 years, but that with 249 fatalities last year, state and federal action is still desperately needed.
In Victoria, VicRoads' James Holgate said the state has long committed to helping developing nations implement modern road safety programs.
“In Vietnam, VicRoads is designing, developing and supporting the implementation of a computerised national road traffic accident system. The system will provide the tools and information necessary to make data-led decisions to reduce the impact of road trauma in Vietnam,” Mr Holgate said.
“VicRoads, with the assistance of Victoria Police, is also working with Vietnam’s National Transport Safety Committee (NTSC) in implementing road safety awareness campaigns in conjunction with Traffic Police enforcement."
Locally, the Transport Accident Commission remains focused on changing driver attitudes over the next decade.
“We believe that if speeding becomes socially unacceptable we will be able to substantially reduce road deaths and injuries,” TAC Senior Manager of Road Safety, Phil Reed said.
“Our research shows that drink-driving and not wearing a seatbelt is widely regarded as socially unacceptable, but we have got some work to do when it comes to speeding."
In New South Wales, one of the bigger winners in a largely disappointing Federal Budget for motorists, $2.2 billion will be spent on improving the state's black spots and a congested rail network - getting more heavy trucks off the road.
"In NSW alone, road accidents kill 450 people and cost the economy around $5 billion every year, so the extra funding is also a sound investment," University of New South Wales Chair of Road Safety, Professor Grzebieta said.
The UN Decade for Road Safety 2011 - 2020 launches this week in Canberra and Sydney as well is in most major cities across the globe.
The United Nations launched its Decade Of Action For Road Safety campaign this week, and Australia's governments and motoring organisations have been quick to adopt the message.
The aim of the ten-year campaign is to reduce the global road toll. It calls on UN member nations to take greater action in improving road safety management, post-crash response, vehicle safety, motorist behaviour and education.
According to the UN, one person is killed or seriously injured on the world's roads every six seconds, with around 3500 fatalities each day.
For young people, road trauma is the global number one cause of death for those aged between 18 and 25.
In Queensland, the RACQ is pushing for State and Federal governments to upgrade the Bruce and Warrego highways - two roads that went virtually unnoticed in this week's 2011 Federal Budget.
“This was an opportunity to make a strong commitment to improving these major arterial highways which are the lifeblood of communities and vital for our tourism, agricultural and mining industries," RACQ’s General Manager External Relations, Paul Turner said.
"This budget is a case of an opportunity lost when it comes to flood-proofing our highways."
RACQ CEO Ian Gillespie said that Queensland's road toll has fallen considerably over the past 30 years, but that with 249 fatalities last year, state and federal action is still desperately needed.
In Victoria, VicRoads' James Holgate said the state has long committed to helping developing nations implement modern road safety programs.
“In Vietnam, VicRoads is designing, developing and supporting the implementation of a computerised national road traffic accident system. The system will provide the tools and information necessary to make data-led decisions to reduce the impact of road trauma in Vietnam,” Mr Holgate said.
“VicRoads, with the assistance of Victoria Police, is also working with Vietnam’s National Transport Safety Committee (NTSC) in implementing road safety awareness campaigns in conjunction with Traffic Police enforcement."
Locally, the Transport Accident Commission remains focused on changing driver attitudes over the next decade.
“We believe that if speeding becomes socially unacceptable we will be able to substantially reduce road deaths and injuries,” TAC Senior Manager of Road Safety, Phil Reed said.
“Our research shows that drink-driving and not wearing a seatbelt is widely regarded as socially unacceptable, but we have got some work to do when it comes to speeding."
In New South Wales, one of the bigger winners in a largely disappointing Federal Budget for motorists, $2.2 billion will be spent on improving the state's black spots and a congested rail network - getting more heavy trucks off the road.
"In NSW alone, road accidents kill 450 people and cost the economy around $5 billion every year, so the extra funding is also a sound investment," University of New South Wales Chair of Road Safety, Professor Grzebieta said.
The UN Decade for Road Safety 2011 - 2020 launches this week in Canberra and Sydney as well is in most major cities across the globe.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Great start to the Decade of Action for Road Safety
Great start to the Decade of Action for Road Safety
By Bob Beale
May 10, 2011
The expected injection of more than $2 billion from tonight's Federal Budget to fix road black spots and upgrade rail freight corridors in NSW is an excellent start to the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, says a leading transport safety researcher.
“This is great news for road safety, particularly in regards to fixing that deadly Pacific Highway,” says Chair of Road Safety, Professor Raphael Grzebieta, from Transport and Road Safety (TARS) Research at the University of New South Wales.
"Budget leaks suggest that as well as tackling some of the worst black spots on the Pacific, Hume and Princes highways, the congested rail freight network between Sydney and Newcastle will also get an upgrade worth $840 million – and that will take more heavy vehicles off the F3 Freeway and northern Sydney's roads."
"In NSW alone, road accidents kill 450 people and cost the economy around $5 billion every year, so the extra funding is also a sound investment," Professor Grzebieta says.
The big funding boost will better enable the NSW Government to bolster its efforts to build and manage a safe road and traffic system, Professor Grzebieta says. The “safe system” approach has been adopted by all Australian governments to underpin Australian road safety strategies.
The added commitment to funding road safety engineering projects will help greatly to meet Australia’s global and local commitments for improved road safety, he says.
The UN Decade for Road Safety 2011 - 2020 will be launched tomorrow, (May 11) in Canberra and Sydney as well is in most major cities across the globe.
The NSW government has lit the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons this week to mark the launch and declare its continued commitment to road safety. Passed as a Resolution of the General Assembly, sponsored by the Australian Government and many others, the goal of the decade is to stabilise and reduce the scourge of road trauma.
NSW is seen as a global leader in reducing road trauma through its research and evidence-based programs over the past three decades. “We are heartened by the recent announcement of additional funding from the Federal Government and” Professor Raphael Grzebieta further commented.
“We’ve been successful in NSW because we got the science right, and secured strong bipartisan political will and community support for road safety. The extra Federal funding is terrific and now it's time for the NSW Government to invest its resources as well into effective actions to reduce road injury and death."
Professor Grzebieta will be Chairing the Australasian College of Road Safety’s NSW Chapter together with the RTA’s Centre for Road Safety, the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 launch in NSW by the Roads and Ports Minister the Hon Duncan Gay MP at NSW Parliament House. A special event road safety seminar will follow with presentations from a number of distinguished road safety stakeholders.
Media contacts:
Raphael Grzebieta - r.grzebieta@unsw.edu.au
Faculty of Science - Bob Beale 0411 705 435 bbeale@unsw.edu.au
By Bob Beale
May 10, 2011
The expected injection of more than $2 billion from tonight's Federal Budget to fix road black spots and upgrade rail freight corridors in NSW is an excellent start to the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, says a leading transport safety researcher.
“This is great news for road safety, particularly in regards to fixing that deadly Pacific Highway,” says Chair of Road Safety, Professor Raphael Grzebieta, from Transport and Road Safety (TARS) Research at the University of New South Wales.
"Budget leaks suggest that as well as tackling some of the worst black spots on the Pacific, Hume and Princes highways, the congested rail freight network between Sydney and Newcastle will also get an upgrade worth $840 million – and that will take more heavy vehicles off the F3 Freeway and northern Sydney's roads."
"In NSW alone, road accidents kill 450 people and cost the economy around $5 billion every year, so the extra funding is also a sound investment," Professor Grzebieta says.
The big funding boost will better enable the NSW Government to bolster its efforts to build and manage a safe road and traffic system, Professor Grzebieta says. The “safe system” approach has been adopted by all Australian governments to underpin Australian road safety strategies.
The added commitment to funding road safety engineering projects will help greatly to meet Australia’s global and local commitments for improved road safety, he says.
The UN Decade for Road Safety 2011 - 2020 will be launched tomorrow, (May 11) in Canberra and Sydney as well is in most major cities across the globe.
The NSW government has lit the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons this week to mark the launch and declare its continued commitment to road safety. Passed as a Resolution of the General Assembly, sponsored by the Australian Government and many others, the goal of the decade is to stabilise and reduce the scourge of road trauma.
NSW is seen as a global leader in reducing road trauma through its research and evidence-based programs over the past three decades. “We are heartened by the recent announcement of additional funding from the Federal Government and” Professor Raphael Grzebieta further commented.
“We’ve been successful in NSW because we got the science right, and secured strong bipartisan political will and community support for road safety. The extra Federal funding is terrific and now it's time for the NSW Government to invest its resources as well into effective actions to reduce road injury and death."
Professor Grzebieta will be Chairing the Australasian College of Road Safety’s NSW Chapter together with the RTA’s Centre for Road Safety, the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 launch in NSW by the Roads and Ports Minister the Hon Duncan Gay MP at NSW Parliament House. A special event road safety seminar will follow with presentations from a number of distinguished road safety stakeholders.
Media contacts:
Raphael Grzebieta - r.grzebieta@unsw.edu.au
Faculty of Science - Bob Beale 0411 705 435 bbeale@unsw.edu.au
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Fleet Management / Logistics and Road Safety
http://www.arrivealive.co.za/pages.aspx?i=2365
Fleet management is a term used to describe the management of any/all aspects relating to a company’s vehicle
Fleet vehicles can be defined as vehicles over which a business has some degree of influence in their selection and operation.
The characteristics associated with Fleet Management are the following:
Vehicle tracking
This is the most basic function of fleet management and is either GPS based or based on a cellular triangulation platform
Mechanical diagnostics
Advanced fleet management systems connected with onboard computers gather information on distance, fuel consumption etc
Driver behavior
The data provided by the tracking system and onboard computers provides detail on driver behavior – a valuable tool to enhance safety on the road
The transport environment has undergone significant changes over the past few years – and so too has the importance of effective fleet management.
Advantages of Effective Road Risk Strategies by Fleet Managers
The advantages of a responsible road risk strategy include the following:
Effective control over costs such as insurance premiums, fuel bills and repair costs.
Ability to make informed decisions about purchasing vehicles and training drivers.
Less time on paperwork, lowered vehicle repair and maintenance bills
Reduced likelihood of an employee being involved in an accident.
Reduced running costs with employees driving more professionally and efficiently.
Drivers less fatigued and healthy
Objectives of Fleet Safety Initiatives
Vehicle accident prevention
Accident investigation /analysis and reporting
Improved safety on the road
Driver education and driver alertness
European research on Fleet Management/ Logistics and Safety
A Monash study on fleet management and safety In Europe provides insight in how different countries approach this issue:
In Sweden the approach with regards to fleet safety has been that of “quality management of the transport component of the enterprise [whether government or private] Quality assurance of transport aims to ensure that people and goods arrive at the right place, at the right time and in the right way (i.e. without danger of serious injury or damage to the goods or the environment in connection with the transport). Thus there is a linking of road safety and environmental outcomes.
In France, there has been a program to increase the involvement of private companies in road safety related to their use of vehicles. Agreements have been drawn up between government, insurance companies, the national occupational health fund and volunteer companies. The programs focus on motivating companies to undertake road safety programs by increasing the knowledge of the cost of road crashes to the company and by decreasing workers compensation and vehicle insurance premiums if programs are implemented. Some of the programs have concentrated on drink driving because of its large role in both work- and non-work-related road crashes in France.
In Germany the Traffic Safety Council has promoted the establishment of voluntary safety circles in which employees from the company vehicle fleet meet together to discuss critical points and devise solutions under the leadership of an experienced moderator. It also runs a one-day training course in "Safe, Economical and Environmentally Friendly Driving".
In the United Kingdom, various measures have been implemented to improve road safety within organisations. They include driver training programs, incentive schemes, penalties, accident reviews, driver monitoring systems and driver feedback procedures. It is unclear whether these measures have had an effect.
Technology and the possible impact on Fleet Management and Road Safety
Fleet Management companies invest large amounts in research and development - enabling operators to have better control over their fleets. Onboard computers provide fleet managers with detailed reports on behavior of both driver and vehicle. These reports are used to modify driver behavior and can also be used in accident prevention, accident analysis and reconstruction.
The most important technologies to impact on road safety are:
The Tachograph – used effectively in many countries for the commercial transport of goods and passengers. Data recorded include driving time, road speed, distance travelled, engine load etc.
The Accident Data Recorder – developed to provide details on the causes of accidents.
Advantages of effective Onboard Technology for Road Safety
Accident Data and Analysis provide evidence
Accurate reports save time in accident reconstruction and legal proceedings
Effective Control by the Fleet Manager
Driver behavior can be monitored and short - comings addressed
Reduction of Liability and Maintenance Costs
International findings on effectiveness of Accident Data Recorders
Case Study: Police of Berlin
Fitting all 62 patrol cars of a Berlin police head office in 1996 with Accident Data Recorders reduced the number of accidents due to the driver's own fault by 20% and by 36% in emergency-trips. The cost involved could be reduced by approx. 25%. These positive results induced the Berlin police authority to equip all their patrol cars -these are more than 400 vehicles -with the Accident Data Recorder.
Case Study: WBO (Association of Baden-Württemberg Bus Operators)
In the pilot run promoted by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Transport with the Accident Data Recorder installed in busses run by WBO 123 Accident Data Recorders were involved. With the busses fitted with an Accident Data Recorder the number of accidents decreased between 15 and 20% compared with the reference period, depending of the company concerned.
Case Study: Samovar
In Great-Britain, the Netherlands and Belgium nine vehicle fleets with a total of 341 vehicles fitted with data recording equipment participated in the research program SAMOVAR (Safety Assessment Monitoring on Vehicles with Automatic Recording) conducted by the European Union in the framework of the Drive Project V 2007.
Together with a control panel involved in similar tests a total of 850 vehicles participated in the program. The data were collected over a period of 12 months. The result shows that the accident rate decreased by 28.1% by the use of the vehicle data recorder.
[Information from a Paper by Dr. Gerhard Lehmann and Tony Reynolds titled “The Contribution of Onboard Recording Systems to Road Safety and Accident Analysis”]
From the above it is evident that Fleet Management can and should make a significant contribution toward enhancing road safety. In South Africa most accidents are the result of driver error/ lawlessness – and Fleet Management Technology can contribute towards changing behavior of many drivers.
For more information on Fleet Management and the impact on Road Safety in South Africa –
Also visit the following sections:
www.ctrack.co.za
Vehicle Tracking
Fleet management is a term used to describe the management of any/all aspects relating to a company’s vehicle
Fleet vehicles can be defined as vehicles over which a business has some degree of influence in their selection and operation.
The characteristics associated with Fleet Management are the following:
Vehicle tracking
This is the most basic function of fleet management and is either GPS based or based on a cellular triangulation platform
Mechanical diagnostics
Advanced fleet management systems connected with onboard computers gather information on distance, fuel consumption etc
Driver behavior
The data provided by the tracking system and onboard computers provides detail on driver behavior – a valuable tool to enhance safety on the road
The transport environment has undergone significant changes over the past few years – and so too has the importance of effective fleet management.
Advantages of Effective Road Risk Strategies by Fleet Managers
The advantages of a responsible road risk strategy include the following:
Effective control over costs such as insurance premiums, fuel bills and repair costs.
Ability to make informed decisions about purchasing vehicles and training drivers.
Less time on paperwork, lowered vehicle repair and maintenance bills
Reduced likelihood of an employee being involved in an accident.
Reduced running costs with employees driving more professionally and efficiently.
Drivers less fatigued and healthy
Objectives of Fleet Safety Initiatives
Vehicle accident prevention
Accident investigation /analysis and reporting
Improved safety on the road
Driver education and driver alertness
European research on Fleet Management/ Logistics and Safety
A Monash study on fleet management and safety In Europe provides insight in how different countries approach this issue:
In Sweden the approach with regards to fleet safety has been that of “quality management of the transport component of the enterprise [whether government or private] Quality assurance of transport aims to ensure that people and goods arrive at the right place, at the right time and in the right way (i.e. without danger of serious injury or damage to the goods or the environment in connection with the transport). Thus there is a linking of road safety and environmental outcomes.
In France, there has been a program to increase the involvement of private companies in road safety related to their use of vehicles. Agreements have been drawn up between government, insurance companies, the national occupational health fund and volunteer companies. The programs focus on motivating companies to undertake road safety programs by increasing the knowledge of the cost of road crashes to the company and by decreasing workers compensation and vehicle insurance premiums if programs are implemented. Some of the programs have concentrated on drink driving because of its large role in both work- and non-work-related road crashes in France.
In Germany the Traffic Safety Council has promoted the establishment of voluntary safety circles in which employees from the company vehicle fleet meet together to discuss critical points and devise solutions under the leadership of an experienced moderator. It also runs a one-day training course in "Safe, Economical and Environmentally Friendly Driving".
In the United Kingdom, various measures have been implemented to improve road safety within organisations. They include driver training programs, incentive schemes, penalties, accident reviews, driver monitoring systems and driver feedback procedures. It is unclear whether these measures have had an effect.
Technology and the possible impact on Fleet Management and Road Safety
Fleet Management companies invest large amounts in research and development - enabling operators to have better control over their fleets. Onboard computers provide fleet managers with detailed reports on behavior of both driver and vehicle. These reports are used to modify driver behavior and can also be used in accident prevention, accident analysis and reconstruction.
The most important technologies to impact on road safety are:
The Tachograph – used effectively in many countries for the commercial transport of goods and passengers. Data recorded include driving time, road speed, distance travelled, engine load etc.
The Accident Data Recorder – developed to provide details on the causes of accidents.
Advantages of effective Onboard Technology for Road Safety
Accident Data and Analysis provide evidence
Accurate reports save time in accident reconstruction and legal proceedings
Effective Control by the Fleet Manager
Driver behavior can be monitored and short - comings addressed
Reduction of Liability and Maintenance Costs
International findings on effectiveness of Accident Data Recorders
Case Study: Police of Berlin
Fitting all 62 patrol cars of a Berlin police head office in 1996 with Accident Data Recorders reduced the number of accidents due to the driver's own fault by 20% and by 36% in emergency-trips. The cost involved could be reduced by approx. 25%. These positive results induced the Berlin police authority to equip all their patrol cars -these are more than 400 vehicles -with the Accident Data Recorder.
Case Study: WBO (Association of Baden-Württemberg Bus Operators)
In the pilot run promoted by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Transport with the Accident Data Recorder installed in busses run by WBO 123 Accident Data Recorders were involved. With the busses fitted with an Accident Data Recorder the number of accidents decreased between 15 and 20% compared with the reference period, depending of the company concerned.
Case Study: Samovar
In Great-Britain, the Netherlands and Belgium nine vehicle fleets with a total of 341 vehicles fitted with data recording equipment participated in the research program SAMOVAR (Safety Assessment Monitoring on Vehicles with Automatic Recording) conducted by the European Union in the framework of the Drive Project V 2007.
Together with a control panel involved in similar tests a total of 850 vehicles participated in the program. The data were collected over a period of 12 months. The result shows that the accident rate decreased by 28.1% by the use of the vehicle data recorder.
[Information from a Paper by Dr. Gerhard Lehmann and Tony Reynolds titled “The Contribution of Onboard Recording Systems to Road Safety and Accident Analysis”]
From the above it is evident that Fleet Management can and should make a significant contribution toward enhancing road safety. In South Africa most accidents are the result of driver error/ lawlessness – and Fleet Management Technology can contribute towards changing behavior of many drivers.
For more information on Fleet Management and the impact on Road Safety in South Africa –
Also visit the following sections:
www.ctrack.co.za
Vehicle Tracking
What is Insurance Telematics and how will it impact on Car Insurance?
http://www.insurancechat.co.za/2011/02/what-is-insurance-telematics-and-how-will-it-impact-on-car-insurance/
Written on February 17th, 2011 by jonckie
rlier this week we decided to develop a section of content on the Arrive Alive road safety website to provide information on why the increased interest in usage based car insurance is also important for road safety. This was done after discussions with the organizers of an insurance telematics conference in Europe and gaining some interesting insights on this fast growing industry.
We have previously given attention to vehicle technology and vehicle telematics in the discussions pertaining to fleet management, but this was never done with a focus to the benefits for car insurance as well!
There is a clear and direct relationship between vehicle telematics and the benefits they are able to provide to the insurance industry in measuring and reporting on driving behaviour.
Why is vehicle telematics so important for insurance companies?
Insurance is all about measuring and calculating risk. Insurance companies evaluate the level of risk and then set premium rates and coverage per the measurement in question. Vehicle telematics is the best, most effective and scientific way to limit risk.
Data on the safe driving of vehicles have allowed fleet managers for a number of years to better manage their fleets of vehicles and retain the best drivers. This have saved vehicle fleet owner millions in maintenance cost and fuel costs and also allowed them to increase productivity.
It is only logical that the same data on driving behaviour would also be important for car insurance companies!
What knowledge about driver behaviour would be most important to insurers?
* Insurers need info to measure risk by knowing what kind of driver is driving the vehicle.
* Do they drive the speed limit or race around town? How many times are they guilty of exceeding the speed limit?
* Do they gun it when they see a yellow light or slow down and stop?
* Is the driver prone to excessive cornering or braking?
* Where is the driver driving? Does he travel on the main roads or does he frequently enter hazardous areas?
* How far is the driver driving and at what time is he driving the vehicle?
An insurance company seldom knows the answers to these questions. With insurance policies developed with vehicle telematics in mind insurers can gain access to this information.
Usage Based/ Pay As You Drive / Insurance Telematics
In the past car insurers only asked basic information to be disclosed. This included questions on driver and vehicle characteristics, use of the vehicle and geographical location. Premium calculation depended simply on type of vehicle, horsepower, sales price, age and sex of the driver, and where he or she lives.
Vehicle telematics now allows for usage based car insurance where technology is an important component in calculating insurance premiums. With vehicle telematics car insurance premiums are determined by actual performance on the road. Telematic devices transmit real-time driving data to insurers, who can then gain a more accurate picture of driving behavior and use this to set fairer rates for law-abiding, fuel-conscious drivers.
For more information visit: Vehicle Insurance Telematics
Written on February 17th, 2011 by jonckie
rlier this week we decided to develop a section of content on the Arrive Alive road safety website to provide information on why the increased interest in usage based car insurance is also important for road safety. This was done after discussions with the organizers of an insurance telematics conference in Europe and gaining some interesting insights on this fast growing industry.
We have previously given attention to vehicle technology and vehicle telematics in the discussions pertaining to fleet management, but this was never done with a focus to the benefits for car insurance as well!
There is a clear and direct relationship between vehicle telematics and the benefits they are able to provide to the insurance industry in measuring and reporting on driving behaviour.
Why is vehicle telematics so important for insurance companies?
Insurance is all about measuring and calculating risk. Insurance companies evaluate the level of risk and then set premium rates and coverage per the measurement in question. Vehicle telematics is the best, most effective and scientific way to limit risk.
Data on the safe driving of vehicles have allowed fleet managers for a number of years to better manage their fleets of vehicles and retain the best drivers. This have saved vehicle fleet owner millions in maintenance cost and fuel costs and also allowed them to increase productivity.
It is only logical that the same data on driving behaviour would also be important for car insurance companies!
What knowledge about driver behaviour would be most important to insurers?
* Insurers need info to measure risk by knowing what kind of driver is driving the vehicle.
* Do they drive the speed limit or race around town? How many times are they guilty of exceeding the speed limit?
* Do they gun it when they see a yellow light or slow down and stop?
* Is the driver prone to excessive cornering or braking?
* Where is the driver driving? Does he travel on the main roads or does he frequently enter hazardous areas?
* How far is the driver driving and at what time is he driving the vehicle?
An insurance company seldom knows the answers to these questions. With insurance policies developed with vehicle telematics in mind insurers can gain access to this information.
Usage Based/ Pay As You Drive / Insurance Telematics
In the past car insurers only asked basic information to be disclosed. This included questions on driver and vehicle characteristics, use of the vehicle and geographical location. Premium calculation depended simply on type of vehicle, horsepower, sales price, age and sex of the driver, and where he or she lives.
Vehicle telematics now allows for usage based car insurance where technology is an important component in calculating insurance premiums. With vehicle telematics car insurance premiums are determined by actual performance on the road. Telematic devices transmit real-time driving data to insurers, who can then gain a more accurate picture of driving behavior and use this to set fairer rates for law-abiding, fuel-conscious drivers.
For more information visit: Vehicle Insurance Telematics
NAVTEQ director , on how insurance telematics business models are starting to mature
http://social.telematicsupdate.com/executive-viewpoint/%E2%80%9Cusage-based-insurance-must-move-broader-consumer-model%E2%80%9D
“Usage-based insurance must move to a broader consumer model”
5 May 2011
Frans Van Dingenen, director marketing and business development, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), NAVTEQ, on how insurance telematics business models are starting to mature
Insurance telematics is quickly growing in importance. The first apps relied purely on monitoring drivers and charging based on a calculation of risk. New apps not only track drivers but also provide added value by giving the driver speed limit advisories and feedback on how he or she is driving. In the near future, these value-added services will expand to include speed limit warnings, safe speed calculations for upcoming curves, and advice on the best gear in which to drive to reduce CO2 emissions and maximize fuel economy. Other warnings, such as when the car is approaching known hazards, will also become available in the near future.
NAVTEQ’s ADAS focus is on how, outside of navigation, maps can enable and enhance driver assistance, active safety, pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) insurance, and fuel efficiency. Maps bring added value, to the insurance company, to the driver, and to the insurance telematics proposition. Our focus is on adding value in applications and more services in the vehicle. Business cases support the use of accurate street level maps as part of an overall insurance telematics offering, and we have supported activities by our partners to bring PAYD and pay-how-you-drive (PHYD) solutions to the market.
Insurance providers operate in a fiercely competitive market, resulting in smaller margins. Insurers have struggled to develop profitable business cases, when you take into account the cost of the hardware and software development and telecoms services. Putting more value-added services in vehicle above standard insurance telematics is a straightforward way to make the business case and to provide service offerings that appeal to drivers, such as navigation and traffic information, parking and hotel availability, congestion charging and reservations. A coordinated and open approach is needed to allow these non-insurance services to be offered. These value-added services can be resident in the vehicle or available via apps on the back-end server. Either way, they should be transparent to the end consumer in terms of service level as well as price.
The total costs and prices for usage-based insurance must move from a niche enterprise solution to one that can be applied to a broader consumer model. Insurance premium savings will drive this, while additional services will provide return on investment for insurance companies. It is also important to draw up agreements on driver scoring so the industry can make informed decisions about what aspects of driver behavior constitute good insurance risk.
The price of hardware will decrease due to economies of scale, and functionality will grow with additional value-added services. Current systems reveal the location of drivers to insurance companies, but in the future location information will not be sent outside the vehicle, avoiding concerns about the Big Brother effect. The analysis of driving behavior and associated risk will be calculated in the vehicle at renewal, thereby protecting privacy. If the industry makes sure the hardware can support multiple applications, then initiatives like eCall will lead to further uptake of usage-based insurance.
Auto OEMs are growing in importance as telematics is implemented in car design. If open platforms are successful, many more apps will become available within the vehicle. If the cost of the hardware and communications can be shared among these apps, then the market is ready for strong growth. The OEMs’ role is critical, since they need to install open platforms to get the added value.
Insurance telematics is just starting to gain traction with drivers and insurance companies. If value-added services can be supplied directly from the car to these open platforms, it’s likely that we’ll see PAYD on smartphones. If insurance telematics providers can make data exchange agreements allowing car owners to subscribe to any insurance product from any TSP, then PAYD will appeal to many more drivers. As business models mature, insurance companies will have greater flexibility to adopt longer-term contracts and move toward leasing models for telematics hardware.
“Usage-based insurance must move to a broader consumer model”
5 May 2011
Frans Van Dingenen, director marketing and business development, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), NAVTEQ, on how insurance telematics business models are starting to mature
Insurance telematics is quickly growing in importance. The first apps relied purely on monitoring drivers and charging based on a calculation of risk. New apps not only track drivers but also provide added value by giving the driver speed limit advisories and feedback on how he or she is driving. In the near future, these value-added services will expand to include speed limit warnings, safe speed calculations for upcoming curves, and advice on the best gear in which to drive to reduce CO2 emissions and maximize fuel economy. Other warnings, such as when the car is approaching known hazards, will also become available in the near future.
NAVTEQ’s ADAS focus is on how, outside of navigation, maps can enable and enhance driver assistance, active safety, pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) insurance, and fuel efficiency. Maps bring added value, to the insurance company, to the driver, and to the insurance telematics proposition. Our focus is on adding value in applications and more services in the vehicle. Business cases support the use of accurate street level maps as part of an overall insurance telematics offering, and we have supported activities by our partners to bring PAYD and pay-how-you-drive (PHYD) solutions to the market.
Insurance providers operate in a fiercely competitive market, resulting in smaller margins. Insurers have struggled to develop profitable business cases, when you take into account the cost of the hardware and software development and telecoms services. Putting more value-added services in vehicle above standard insurance telematics is a straightforward way to make the business case and to provide service offerings that appeal to drivers, such as navigation and traffic information, parking and hotel availability, congestion charging and reservations. A coordinated and open approach is needed to allow these non-insurance services to be offered. These value-added services can be resident in the vehicle or available via apps on the back-end server. Either way, they should be transparent to the end consumer in terms of service level as well as price.
The total costs and prices for usage-based insurance must move from a niche enterprise solution to one that can be applied to a broader consumer model. Insurance premium savings will drive this, while additional services will provide return on investment for insurance companies. It is also important to draw up agreements on driver scoring so the industry can make informed decisions about what aspects of driver behavior constitute good insurance risk.
The price of hardware will decrease due to economies of scale, and functionality will grow with additional value-added services. Current systems reveal the location of drivers to insurance companies, but in the future location information will not be sent outside the vehicle, avoiding concerns about the Big Brother effect. The analysis of driving behavior and associated risk will be calculated in the vehicle at renewal, thereby protecting privacy. If the industry makes sure the hardware can support multiple applications, then initiatives like eCall will lead to further uptake of usage-based insurance.
Auto OEMs are growing in importance as telematics is implemented in car design. If open platforms are successful, many more apps will become available within the vehicle. If the cost of the hardware and communications can be shared among these apps, then the market is ready for strong growth. The OEMs’ role is critical, since they need to install open platforms to get the added value.
Insurance telematics is just starting to gain traction with drivers and insurance companies. If value-added services can be supplied directly from the car to these open platforms, it’s likely that we’ll see PAYD on smartphones. If insurance telematics providers can make data exchange agreements allowing car owners to subscribe to any insurance product from any TSP, then PAYD will appeal to many more drivers. As business models mature, insurance companies will have greater flexibility to adopt longer-term contracts and move toward leasing models for telematics hardware.
Consumer Comfort, Less Costly Technology and Better Pricing Models Lead Stronger Push Toward Pay-As-You-Drive
http://www.insurancetech.com/business-intelligence/229403050
Consumer Comfort, Less Costly Technology and Better Pricing Models Lead Stronger Push Toward Pay-As-You-Drive
Though insurers have approached the concept carefully over the past decade, companies including Progressive and Allstate are broadening their promotion of usage-based auto coverage.
Auto insurance companies have been exploring the potential for usage-based insurance since before the turn of the century. Now, obstacles such as technology cost and consumers' reticence to allow a device to track them are melting away, and insurers that have been along for the ride from the start are reaping the benefits.
Progressive (Mayfield Village, Ohio) has been actively developing a telematics device since the 1990s, says the company's GM of usage-based insurance, Richard Hutchinson. Bucking the common view of "black boxes," the experimentation and commitment to the model at Progressive has allowed the company to come out with a device for its Snapshot program that fits in the palm of your hand.
"In the 90s, it was multiple devices using satellite telemetry. It worked but it was very expensive," Hutchinson recalls. "Then there was a version that used the online diagnostic port of a computer, it logged driving data coming through the computer of the car. Now, it's a phone chip and uses the existing [cellular] server network."
Snapshot has been available nationwide for several weeks, and Progressive is promoting it in ads featuring its "Flo" spokesperson. Getting to this point required close attention to the design of the usage-based insurance product itself. Concerns over location tracking led the company to build a device without GPS, for example.
"If you say, 'I want this variable,' but the consumer won't accept it, what are you gaining?" he explains. "There's other elements you have to consider: how predictive a data point is, simplicity vs. complex in terms of managing data, for example."
Progressive has built a model based around miles driven, frequency of trips, time of day the car is used, braking and acceleration. Hutchinson says the carrier found these points "vastly" more predictive than location data. But developing the data management and minding capabilities to make this discovery presents another hurdle for insurers.
"From an IT standpoint this is not just another normal product," Hutchinson says. "It's a lot more data than the industry is used to." That's also been the experience of Dan Kraft, director of product innovation for Allstate, who works on the Northbrook, Ill.-based company's Drive Wise usage-based offering.
"There's all sorts of back-end processing that has to make place," Kraft says "There's analytics, how you move the data into your rating system. It's a multifaceted program development project."
Though Allstate, like Progressive, uses a cellular-connected device to gather non-location data, the company is open to other ways to collect the data as the sector gets more refined, Kraft adds.
"Today, the proprietary device has the greatest opportunity in the market, but it may not stay as the platform of choice — consumers will be the ultimate judge," he explains. "The car manufacturers, over time, will have embedded telematics technology in every vehicle, and there's potential for the smartphone to play in this space as a platform."
Tom Kavanaugh, a director with PricewaterhouseCooper's Diamond Advisory Services who has studied the telematics arena for some time, is one observer who sees potential in mobile devices working for insurers.
"Clearly there's additional challenges that come from the data being pulled from the mobile device, but it helps insurers get past the economic equation — the mobile device is already in everyone's pocket, so you don't have to worry about getting the device to people's cars," he explains. "And, from a penetration standpoint, everyone's already got one."
Kavanaugh echoes Kraft's assertion that auto manufacturers are more apt to add telematics devices to cars as they come off the line, noting the example of Mercedes' M-Brace system.
"The question for the carrier is, can they develop a compelling enough value proposition to get at that data," he adds. "I think ultimately where we're going to see the space evolve to is more of an open technology platform."
SMA Strategy Meets Action analyst Mark Breading also sees manufacturer adoption of a standard telematics technology platform driving further take-up of usage-based insurance in the next few years. ("Why should every insurance company work with some manufacturer to create a black box?" he asks.)
But technology-driven adoption isn't going to make pay-as-you-drive successful on its own, he continues. He notes that UK-based Norwich Union, one of the first companies to offer usage-based insurance, recently discontinued its program due to lack of interest.
"What it's going to come down to is the experience," he says. "The whole target market for this is safe, low-mileage drivers. It's reverse-adverse selection."
Consumer Comfort, Less Costly Technology and Better Pricing Models Lead Stronger Push Toward Pay-As-You-Drive
Though insurers have approached the concept carefully over the past decade, companies including Progressive and Allstate are broadening their promotion of usage-based auto coverage.
Auto insurance companies have been exploring the potential for usage-based insurance since before the turn of the century. Now, obstacles such as technology cost and consumers' reticence to allow a device to track them are melting away, and insurers that have been along for the ride from the start are reaping the benefits.
Progressive (Mayfield Village, Ohio) has been actively developing a telematics device since the 1990s, says the company's GM of usage-based insurance, Richard Hutchinson. Bucking the common view of "black boxes," the experimentation and commitment to the model at Progressive has allowed the company to come out with a device for its Snapshot program that fits in the palm of your hand.
"In the 90s, it was multiple devices using satellite telemetry. It worked but it was very expensive," Hutchinson recalls. "Then there was a version that used the online diagnostic port of a computer, it logged driving data coming through the computer of the car. Now, it's a phone chip and uses the existing [cellular] server network."
Snapshot has been available nationwide for several weeks, and Progressive is promoting it in ads featuring its "Flo" spokesperson. Getting to this point required close attention to the design of the usage-based insurance product itself. Concerns over location tracking led the company to build a device without GPS, for example.
"If you say, 'I want this variable,' but the consumer won't accept it, what are you gaining?" he explains. "There's other elements you have to consider: how predictive a data point is, simplicity vs. complex in terms of managing data, for example."
Progressive has built a model based around miles driven, frequency of trips, time of day the car is used, braking and acceleration. Hutchinson says the carrier found these points "vastly" more predictive than location data. But developing the data management and minding capabilities to make this discovery presents another hurdle for insurers.
"From an IT standpoint this is not just another normal product," Hutchinson says. "It's a lot more data than the industry is used to." That's also been the experience of Dan Kraft, director of product innovation for Allstate, who works on the Northbrook, Ill.-based company's Drive Wise usage-based offering.
"There's all sorts of back-end processing that has to make place," Kraft says "There's analytics, how you move the data into your rating system. It's a multifaceted program development project."
Though Allstate, like Progressive, uses a cellular-connected device to gather non-location data, the company is open to other ways to collect the data as the sector gets more refined, Kraft adds.
"Today, the proprietary device has the greatest opportunity in the market, but it may not stay as the platform of choice — consumers will be the ultimate judge," he explains. "The car manufacturers, over time, will have embedded telematics technology in every vehicle, and there's potential for the smartphone to play in this space as a platform."
Tom Kavanaugh, a director with PricewaterhouseCooper's Diamond Advisory Services who has studied the telematics arena for some time, is one observer who sees potential in mobile devices working for insurers.
"Clearly there's additional challenges that come from the data being pulled from the mobile device, but it helps insurers get past the economic equation — the mobile device is already in everyone's pocket, so you don't have to worry about getting the device to people's cars," he explains. "And, from a penetration standpoint, everyone's already got one."
Kavanaugh echoes Kraft's assertion that auto manufacturers are more apt to add telematics devices to cars as they come off the line, noting the example of Mercedes' M-Brace system.
"The question for the carrier is, can they develop a compelling enough value proposition to get at that data," he adds. "I think ultimately where we're going to see the space evolve to is more of an open technology platform."
SMA Strategy Meets Action analyst Mark Breading also sees manufacturer adoption of a standard telematics technology platform driving further take-up of usage-based insurance in the next few years. ("Why should every insurance company work with some manufacturer to create a black box?" he asks.)
But technology-driven adoption isn't going to make pay-as-you-drive successful on its own, he continues. He notes that UK-based Norwich Union, one of the first companies to offer usage-based insurance, recently discontinued its program due to lack of interest.
"What it's going to come down to is the experience," he says. "The whole target market for this is safe, low-mileage drivers. It's reverse-adverse selection."
Monday, May 9, 2011
USA review on greenroads driver feedback
http://sustainableindustries.com/articles/2011/05/hed-0
Im trying to have a bad trip.
Specifically, I’m driving around a warren of Silicon Valley office parks in an Acura sedan, willfully disregarding everything I learned in driver’s ed. Next to me in the passenger seat, Glenn Pereira, is urging me to put more lead in my foot.
Pereira is the marketing chief at GreenRoad. The startup makes hardware and software designed to cut corporate clients’ costs by increasing safety and reducing fuel consumption. They do that by changing driving habits through in-the-moment feedback to drivers while they’re behind the wheel. He’s generously encouraging me to abuse his car, but so far, GreenRoad’s feedback is telling me one thing: I drive like an old lady.
“We are focused on helping people improve their driving,” Pereira says. “It’s like driving along with the drivers.”
As I drive, GreenRoad’s sensors record bad behavior in five areas: acceleration, braking, corner handling, lane changing and speeding. Its hardware includes a dashboard-mounted device with three colored lights. Drive smooth and steady, and the light stays green, but when a driver has what Pereira calls an “event” – taking a turn too fast, for example – the light flashes a cautionary orange. An egregious foul earns a flashing red light. In addition to the warning after each transgression, racking up too many events changes the rating of a driver’s whole journey, downgrading the entire trip to orange or red.
Information from the journey is transmitted wirelessly back to GreenRoad’s servers. Drivers and fleet managers access the data through an online dashboard, and can assess driving performance, pinpoint trouble spots on routes and figure out where there’s room for improvement.
If GreenRoad’s persistent-yet-nonintrusive nudging towards mellower driving saves fuel and potentially lives, it also saves money – the company estimates its customers collectively have saved more than $100 million to date. For each vehicle outfitted with GreenRoad equipment, a fleet owner pays about $30 per month for the hardware and software services, and saves between $1,200 and $4,000 per vehicle annually, the company says.
Driving habits account for up to one-third of fuel consumption. GreenRoad estimates that its customers will see fuel reductions of about 10 percent, though the dollar value of that unused gas could swell as rising fuel costs increasingly cut into businesses’ bottom lines. Beyond fuel savings, GreenRoad says it can cut costs associated with crashes in half in the first year of use.
“Economics is what drives most of these decisions,” Pereira says.
For now, GreenRoad’s technology is being used for commercial fleets and reaches about 60,000 drivers in the U.S. and England. It’s brought in about $45 million in venture funding, including investments from Al Gore’s Generation Investment Management and Richard Branson’s Virgin Green Fund.
Back in Pereira’s car, I’m still unable to coax a scolding from GreenRoad’s device, so he takes the wheel. He tells me that the hardware in his car is tuned to be less sensitive than what a delivery driver would likely experience – the sensitivity can be customized according to customer needs – but within a few minutes of hard braking, taking turns way too fast and careening around a freeway on-ramp, Pereira has succeeded in earning our white-knuckle joyride an angry red light.
I may not have a future as a stuntman, but I’m determined to piss off GreenRoad’s sensors at least once before handing in the keys. I get behind the wheel one more time. Avoiding the freeway, I decide my best bet is the stop signs on the quieter commercial streets. Building up speed, I swerve into the adjacent lane and slam on the brakes. Seconds later, the light flashes orange. Triumphant, I pound the gas pedal, pushing Pereira and me into our seats before my inner traffic cop takes over and pilots us safely home.
Im trying to have a bad trip.
Specifically, I’m driving around a warren of Silicon Valley office parks in an Acura sedan, willfully disregarding everything I learned in driver’s ed. Next to me in the passenger seat, Glenn Pereira, is urging me to put more lead in my foot.
Pereira is the marketing chief at GreenRoad. The startup makes hardware and software designed to cut corporate clients’ costs by increasing safety and reducing fuel consumption. They do that by changing driving habits through in-the-moment feedback to drivers while they’re behind the wheel. He’s generously encouraging me to abuse his car, but so far, GreenRoad’s feedback is telling me one thing: I drive like an old lady.
“We are focused on helping people improve their driving,” Pereira says. “It’s like driving along with the drivers.”
As I drive, GreenRoad’s sensors record bad behavior in five areas: acceleration, braking, corner handling, lane changing and speeding. Its hardware includes a dashboard-mounted device with three colored lights. Drive smooth and steady, and the light stays green, but when a driver has what Pereira calls an “event” – taking a turn too fast, for example – the light flashes a cautionary orange. An egregious foul earns a flashing red light. In addition to the warning after each transgression, racking up too many events changes the rating of a driver’s whole journey, downgrading the entire trip to orange or red.
Information from the journey is transmitted wirelessly back to GreenRoad’s servers. Drivers and fleet managers access the data through an online dashboard, and can assess driving performance, pinpoint trouble spots on routes and figure out where there’s room for improvement.
If GreenRoad’s persistent-yet-nonintrusive nudging towards mellower driving saves fuel and potentially lives, it also saves money – the company estimates its customers collectively have saved more than $100 million to date. For each vehicle outfitted with GreenRoad equipment, a fleet owner pays about $30 per month for the hardware and software services, and saves between $1,200 and $4,000 per vehicle annually, the company says.
Driving habits account for up to one-third of fuel consumption. GreenRoad estimates that its customers will see fuel reductions of about 10 percent, though the dollar value of that unused gas could swell as rising fuel costs increasingly cut into businesses’ bottom lines. Beyond fuel savings, GreenRoad says it can cut costs associated with crashes in half in the first year of use.
“Economics is what drives most of these decisions,” Pereira says.
For now, GreenRoad’s technology is being used for commercial fleets and reaches about 60,000 drivers in the U.S. and England. It’s brought in about $45 million in venture funding, including investments from Al Gore’s Generation Investment Management and Richard Branson’s Virgin Green Fund.
Back in Pereira’s car, I’m still unable to coax a scolding from GreenRoad’s device, so he takes the wheel. He tells me that the hardware in his car is tuned to be less sensitive than what a delivery driver would likely experience – the sensitivity can be customized according to customer needs – but within a few minutes of hard braking, taking turns way too fast and careening around a freeway on-ramp, Pereira has succeeded in earning our white-knuckle joyride an angry red light.
I may not have a future as a stuntman, but I’m determined to piss off GreenRoad’s sensors at least once before handing in the keys. I get behind the wheel one more time. Avoiding the freeway, I decide my best bet is the stop signs on the quieter commercial streets. Building up speed, I swerve into the adjacent lane and slam on the brakes. Seconds later, the light flashes orange. Triumphant, I pound the gas pedal, pushing Pereira and me into our seats before my inner traffic cop takes over and pilots us safely home.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Rocketing motor premiums put telematics back on the agenda
Two reports by the AA and Confused.com/Towers Watson have revealed that motor insurance premiums shot up by 40% in the past year. The AA’s Shoparound index of the average of three quotes for a customer recorded a 40.1% rise to £892 in the 12 months to the end of March for annual comprehensive cover while Confused said that the rate of price inflation was 35.7%.
The rapid rises have raised the question of whether consumers will return to brokers for cheaper premiums and in particular if the much-vaunted telematics solution will provide the broker channel with an opportunity to re-gain market share.
Telematics, involving in-car smart boxes that measure factors such as driving speed and style as well as distance driven and time of driving, is not an entirely new development. Aviva had an early stab at it in 2005 targeting predominantly young drivers but withdrew it in 2008 and Co-operative Insurance is currently targeting the same market using similar systems.
The number of live policies involving telematics is less than 1% of the overall market but according to Mark Townsend, MD of Capita Insurance Distribution, the rate rises provide a significant catalyst for change.
“Vehicle telematics and the more accurate assessment of individual risks that customers are representing are potentially big steps forward and a superb opportunity for the market to embrace emerging technology,” he claimed.
For Gary Humphreys, group underwriting director at Markerstudy, which is working with three telematics offerings, the technology could provide an opportunity for brokers as all the information required to underwrite properly using this technology, does not lend itself to the question sets on aggregators. “Those brokers switched on to this opportunity and targeting the right type of customer by gaining that extra information can probably gain a competitive advantage,” he said.
Mr Humphrey’s prediction is that within the next five years as much as 15% of the personal lines market may be going down the telematics route.
However, Ian Faulkner, managing director at Metaskil, a technology provider for telematics, believes the impact will be far wider. He argued that the ruling of the European Court of Justice that gender could not be used as a rating factor would be followed by age within five years leading to insurers needing to find other sources of information.
“I think in five years time 75-80% of people will be trying or will have tried telematics,” Mr Faulkner claimed. He said he also believed it could present an opportunity for brokers particularly since some customers might not be aware of how telematics operates. “Where an aggregator will only give you price, the good thing about a broker is they’ll assuage some of the concerns about how the information is going to be captured and used,” he noted.
Ian Brown, technical director of Motaquote, distributor of the i-kube product which aims to reward young drivers for not using their cars between 11pm and 5am, pointed out that it is already an option for brokers.
The Towergate-owned company already distributes through CCV brokers as well as other partners, although the majority of its business comes direct. While at present the product is restricted to 17-25 year olds, Mr Brown agreed it could be expanded over time to meet the needs of other users.
He argued: “This product does lend itself very well to the broker distribution channel as it does need some explanation of the terms and how the restricted hours will work. Brokers tend to have a more detailed discussion with customers.”
Read more: http://www.insuranceage.co.uk/insurance-age/news-analysis/2046925/rocketing-motor-premiums-telematics-agenda#ixzz1LXn0WjLU
The rapid rises have raised the question of whether consumers will return to brokers for cheaper premiums and in particular if the much-vaunted telematics solution will provide the broker channel with an opportunity to re-gain market share.
Telematics, involving in-car smart boxes that measure factors such as driving speed and style as well as distance driven and time of driving, is not an entirely new development. Aviva had an early stab at it in 2005 targeting predominantly young drivers but withdrew it in 2008 and Co-operative Insurance is currently targeting the same market using similar systems.
The number of live policies involving telematics is less than 1% of the overall market but according to Mark Townsend, MD of Capita Insurance Distribution, the rate rises provide a significant catalyst for change.
“Vehicle telematics and the more accurate assessment of individual risks that customers are representing are potentially big steps forward and a superb opportunity for the market to embrace emerging technology,” he claimed.
For Gary Humphreys, group underwriting director at Markerstudy, which is working with three telematics offerings, the technology could provide an opportunity for brokers as all the information required to underwrite properly using this technology, does not lend itself to the question sets on aggregators. “Those brokers switched on to this opportunity and targeting the right type of customer by gaining that extra information can probably gain a competitive advantage,” he said.
Mr Humphrey’s prediction is that within the next five years as much as 15% of the personal lines market may be going down the telematics route.
However, Ian Faulkner, managing director at Metaskil, a technology provider for telematics, believes the impact will be far wider. He argued that the ruling of the European Court of Justice that gender could not be used as a rating factor would be followed by age within five years leading to insurers needing to find other sources of information.
“I think in five years time 75-80% of people will be trying or will have tried telematics,” Mr Faulkner claimed. He said he also believed it could present an opportunity for brokers particularly since some customers might not be aware of how telematics operates. “Where an aggregator will only give you price, the good thing about a broker is they’ll assuage some of the concerns about how the information is going to be captured and used,” he noted.
Ian Brown, technical director of Motaquote, distributor of the i-kube product which aims to reward young drivers for not using their cars between 11pm and 5am, pointed out that it is already an option for brokers.
The Towergate-owned company already distributes through CCV brokers as well as other partners, although the majority of its business comes direct. While at present the product is restricted to 17-25 year olds, Mr Brown agreed it could be expanded over time to meet the needs of other users.
He argued: “This product does lend itself very well to the broker distribution channel as it does need some explanation of the terms and how the restricted hours will work. Brokers tend to have a more detailed discussion with customers.”
Read more: http://www.insuranceage.co.uk/insurance-age/news-analysis/2046925/rocketing-motor-premiums-telematics-agenda#ixzz1LXn0WjLU
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
statefarm app for teenagers learning to drive and their parents.
http://socialtimes.com/state-farm-driver-feedback-for-iphone-scores-teen-driving-gives-tips_b60425
State Farm Driver Feedback for iPhone: Scores Teen Driving & Gives Tips
State Farm Insurance released a free iPhone app that serves as a mobile driving coach. Its primary audience are teenagers learning to drive and their parents.
State Farm launches new app that lets people use their smartphone to become better drivers
The app measures acceleration, braking, and cornering. A score is provided for each driving behavior. GPS locations are stored as well. Comparison’s can be made between different trips (same driver) or different drivers.
State Farm says:
1. State Farm does not collect the trip information.
2. The data recorded by this app will not impact your insurance rates.
State Farm Driver Feedback for iPhone: Scores Teen Driving & Gives Tips
State Farm Insurance released a free iPhone app that serves as a mobile driving coach. Its primary audience are teenagers learning to drive and their parents.
State Farm launches new app that lets people use their smartphone to become better drivers
The app measures acceleration, braking, and cornering. A score is provided for each driving behavior. GPS locations are stored as well. Comparison’s can be made between different trips (same driver) or different drivers.
State Farm says:
1. State Farm does not collect the trip information.
2. The data recorded by this app will not impact your insurance rates.
State Farm Driver Feedback app macstories review
http://www.macstories.net/reviews/review-driver-feedback-app-evaluates-your-driving-performances/
Following recent news of Apple building a crowdsourced traffic service to launch in the next few years, it’ll be interesting to see whether competitors and third-party developers will start playing around with more car-oriented and traffic-based services for iOS devices. Insurance company State Farm — which I had never heard of before, but it turns out they’re pretty huge in the United States — released a new iPhone app a few days ago that’s aimed at monitoring your driving performances and giving you a score based on various factors like braking, acceleration and cornering. The concept is really simple: the worse you drive (severe acceleration or braking, for example), the lower score you get at the end of the test. How does the app keep track of all this? Again, simple: it uses a mix of Google Maps, iPhone accelerometer and GPS data to see where you’re going, and how you’re driving. I took the app for a spin tonight to see whether or not it would really work with the awful road that connects San Martino al Cimino to my town, Viterbo.
The app starts up with a screen that asks you to create a new user profile, although everything stays locally and it’s not sent to State Farm’s servers. You can create as many profiles as you want for all members of your family who drive and would like to try Driver Feedback. Once a profile is ready, the app will also ask you to place the iPhone on a flat surface in your car but not on the dashboard, so you won’t be distracted and the iPhone’s accelerometer can work properly to register brakes and stops. Tonight I decided to drive a little faster than I usually do (75 km/h on average instead of the usual 60 km/h on the aforementioned terrible road) to see if Driver Feedback could really give me a bad score once I arrived at my destination. Once you’re ready to go, all you have to do in Driver Feedback is wait for a sound effect (a countdown related to the iPhone being placed on a flat surface, luckily I have one in my VW Polo) and start driving.
It usually takes me less than 10 minutes to drive from San Martino to Viterbo. As I decided to drive relatively worse tonight (of course, without putting anyone to risk) to evaluate the app’s functionalities, I didn’t consider that it was raining, badly. So it turned out to be a pretty awful 7-minute car trip that I honestly won’t repeat ever again. And the app did notice after I was done: I got a 50/100 score with multiple severe acceleration and braking points, and lots of suggestions to improve my driving in the future. Driver Feedback can even keep a log of all your trips and it allows you to check out data points on a Google Map, too. In the Alerts tab, the app explains what you did wrong and why you should improve your driving style, whilst the main screen offers an option to share scores via email or text. The UI is minimal, and elegant.
From what I’ve seen so far, Driver Feedback is a well-realized product that might really help you fine-tune the way you drive. I’d like to see more factors being considered in the future (such as traffic, or weather conditions), but as it stands now State Farm’s Driver Feedback is a cool app for drivers, and a useful product to remind everyone that good driving can save gas, and lives.
Following recent news of Apple building a crowdsourced traffic service to launch in the next few years, it’ll be interesting to see whether competitors and third-party developers will start playing around with more car-oriented and traffic-based services for iOS devices. Insurance company State Farm — which I had never heard of before, but it turns out they’re pretty huge in the United States — released a new iPhone app a few days ago that’s aimed at monitoring your driving performances and giving you a score based on various factors like braking, acceleration and cornering. The concept is really simple: the worse you drive (severe acceleration or braking, for example), the lower score you get at the end of the test. How does the app keep track of all this? Again, simple: it uses a mix of Google Maps, iPhone accelerometer and GPS data to see where you’re going, and how you’re driving. I took the app for a spin tonight to see whether or not it would really work with the awful road that connects San Martino al Cimino to my town, Viterbo.
The app starts up with a screen that asks you to create a new user profile, although everything stays locally and it’s not sent to State Farm’s servers. You can create as many profiles as you want for all members of your family who drive and would like to try Driver Feedback. Once a profile is ready, the app will also ask you to place the iPhone on a flat surface in your car but not on the dashboard, so you won’t be distracted and the iPhone’s accelerometer can work properly to register brakes and stops. Tonight I decided to drive a little faster than I usually do (75 km/h on average instead of the usual 60 km/h on the aforementioned terrible road) to see if Driver Feedback could really give me a bad score once I arrived at my destination. Once you’re ready to go, all you have to do in Driver Feedback is wait for a sound effect (a countdown related to the iPhone being placed on a flat surface, luckily I have one in my VW Polo) and start driving.
It usually takes me less than 10 minutes to drive from San Martino to Viterbo. As I decided to drive relatively worse tonight (of course, without putting anyone to risk) to evaluate the app’s functionalities, I didn’t consider that it was raining, badly. So it turned out to be a pretty awful 7-minute car trip that I honestly won’t repeat ever again. And the app did notice after I was done: I got a 50/100 score with multiple severe acceleration and braking points, and lots of suggestions to improve my driving in the future. Driver Feedback can even keep a log of all your trips and it allows you to check out data points on a Google Map, too. In the Alerts tab, the app explains what you did wrong and why you should improve your driving style, whilst the main screen offers an option to share scores via email or text. The UI is minimal, and elegant.
From what I’ve seen so far, Driver Feedback is a well-realized product that might really help you fine-tune the way you drive. I’d like to see more factors being considered in the future (such as traffic, or weather conditions), but as it stands now State Farm’s Driver Feedback is a cool app for drivers, and a useful product to remind everyone that good driving can save gas, and lives.
State Farm Driver Feedback iphone app now available in itunes
Description
Drive Smarter. State Farm® Driver Feedback™ scores your driving and gives you tips to help you drive even better.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration*, three of the riskiest driving behaviors are hard acceleration, hard deceleration, and hard swerves. So we built this app to help drivers of all ages improve in these areas.
The app’s accelerometer recording technology measures your acceleration, braking, and cornering. You’re given a score for each, as well as an overall score for each trip you record. Helpful tips make it easier for you to take your driving to the next level.
Features:
- Record driving using your device’s accelerometer and GPS location**
- View all alerts in a list view or overlaid on a map
- Compare two trips against each other
- Send trip results via email and SMS
- Support for multiple users
Note: State Farm does not collect the trip information. The data recorded by this app will not impact your insurance rates.
Drive Smarter. State Farm® Driver Feedback™ scores your driving and gives you tips to help you drive even better.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration*, three of the riskiest driving behaviors are hard acceleration, hard deceleration, and hard swerves. So we built this app to help drivers of all ages improve in these areas.
The app’s accelerometer recording technology measures your acceleration, braking, and cornering. You’re given a score for each, as well as an overall score for each trip you record. Helpful tips make it easier for you to take your driving to the next level.
Features:
- Record driving using your device’s accelerometer and GPS location**
- View all alerts in a list view or overlaid on a map
- Compare two trips against each other
- Send trip results via email and SMS
- Support for multiple users
Note: State Farm does not collect the trip information. The data recorded by this app will not impact your insurance rates.
State Farm Driver Feedback iphone app scores your driving and gives you tips to help you drive even better.
Drive Smarter. State Farm Driver Feedback scores your driving and gives you tips to help you drive even better.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration*, three of the riskiest driving behaviors are hard acceleration, hard deceleration, and hard swerves. So we built this app to help drivers of all ages improve in these areas.
The app’s accelerometer recording technology measures your acceleration, braking, and cornering. You’re given a score for each, as well as an overall score for each trip you record.
Helpful tips make it easier for you to take your driving to the next level.
Features
Record driving using your device’s accelerometer and GPS location**
View all alerts in a list view or overlaid on a map
Compare two trips against each other
Send trip results via email and SMS
Support for multiple user
http://www.statefarm.com/mobile/driverfeedback/driverfeedback.asp
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration*, three of the riskiest driving behaviors are hard acceleration, hard deceleration, and hard swerves. So we built this app to help drivers of all ages improve in these areas.
The app’s accelerometer recording technology measures your acceleration, braking, and cornering. You’re given a score for each, as well as an overall score for each trip you record.
Helpful tips make it easier for you to take your driving to the next level.
Features
Record driving using your device’s accelerometer and GPS location**
View all alerts in a list view or overlaid on a map
Compare two trips against each other
Send trip results via email and SMS
Support for multiple user
http://www.statefarm.com/mobile/driverfeedback/driverfeedback.asp
Queensland Motorists Ignoring School Speed Zones: Suncorp
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/51738/queensland-school-zones-ignored-by-many-suncorp?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheMotorReport+%28The+Motor+Report%29
New research by Queensland insurer Suncorp shows that motorist *
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Discount New Cars Get the best price on a new car
New research by Queensland insurer Suncorp shows that motorists are continuing to ignore restricted speed limits in the state's school zones.
Surveying 2818 motorists, the study found that one-in-ten Queensland drivers (nine percent) regularly speed through school zones.
Nearly one-third of respondents (31 percent) also admitted to speeding on the drive to and from work.
“With almost one-third of Queensland drivers admitting they speed during the hours that schools generally start and finish, and one-quarter believing exceeding the limit by anything up to 10km/h over is not speeding - it's unsettling for both the driver and very dangerous for pedestrians.” Suncorp Insurance Corporate Affairs Manager, Mike Sopinski said.
The report follows a recent blitz by Queensland Police on 40km/h and 50km/h zones in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which resulted in more than 3000 motorists nabbed by marked and covert cameras.
The cameras detected 71 vehicles out of 1000 (seven percent) speeding through 40km/h zones when the enforcement started in mid-December last year.
The study also showed that 11 percent of Queensland motorists admit to speeding "most of the time," and 66 percent said that they speed "some of the time."
“Most Queensland drivers (67 per cent) claim they are sometimes uncertain of the speed limit because they vary so much," Mr Sopinski said.
New research by Queensland insurer Suncorp shows that motorist *
0Share
Discount New Cars Get the best price on a new car
New research by Queensland insurer Suncorp shows that motorists are continuing to ignore restricted speed limits in the state's school zones.
Surveying 2818 motorists, the study found that one-in-ten Queensland drivers (nine percent) regularly speed through school zones.
Nearly one-third of respondents (31 percent) also admitted to speeding on the drive to and from work.
“With almost one-third of Queensland drivers admitting they speed during the hours that schools generally start and finish, and one-quarter believing exceeding the limit by anything up to 10km/h over is not speeding - it's unsettling for both the driver and very dangerous for pedestrians.” Suncorp Insurance Corporate Affairs Manager, Mike Sopinski said.
The report follows a recent blitz by Queensland Police on 40km/h and 50km/h zones in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which resulted in more than 3000 motorists nabbed by marked and covert cameras.
The cameras detected 71 vehicles out of 1000 (seven percent) speeding through 40km/h zones when the enforcement started in mid-December last year.
The study also showed that 11 percent of Queensland motorists admit to speeding "most of the time," and 66 percent said that they speed "some of the time."
“Most Queensland drivers (67 per cent) claim they are sometimes uncertain of the speed limit because they vary so much," Mr Sopinski said.
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