One news story which certainly caught our eye this week focused on the effects poor eyesight and health among motorists can have on road safety.

We applaud Meg Munn MP, who was recognised with the Brake and Direct Line’s Road Safety Parliamentarian of the Month Award for her campaign to introduce regular eye tests for drivers, as reported by Fleet News on Friday.

The Fuelcard Company wholeheartedly supports Munn’s efforts to raise awareness of an issue which can be all too easy for drivers to underestimate. The consequences of sweeping the problem under the carpet however, can be tragic. Munn started her campaign after Fiona Buckley, the niece of a constituent, was run over and killed while crossing the road in 2008 by a driver with defective eyesight.

As part of the MP’s campaign, the Government is being urged to change current legislation, with driver eye tests carried out via scientific methods by qualified practitioners instead of the current limited number-plate test. The initiative also calls for drivers to be re-tested at least every ten years and aims to raise awareness among the motorists themselves – to drive home the importance of getting their eyes checked at least every two years.

This should act as a major wake-up call for motorists not to underestimate the effects health issues can have on their driving awareness, behaviour and safety, as well as for fleet managers who have a duty of care to their employees and other road users. Regular health checks for conditions such as high or low blood pressure can alert drivers to problems that could potentially affect their ability to drive safely.

Earlier this month, we also reported on the effects heavy colds and flu can have on drivers’ reaction times. Read on tofind out how illness can be akin to drinking four double whiskies!

It is widely known how dangerous it is to drive under the influence of drink or drugs, so why should health problems, which in some cases bring the same cognitive side-effects, be viewed any differently?

So, this week ministers promised to cut the red-tape to allow councils more freedom to erect road signs where they are needed. This is great news, although long overdue. The Government has finally realised that the people who know the road network best are the local council workers who drive on it every day.

Under the new rules, councils will no longer need to gain the approval of Whitehall for new signs that they require on a regular basis, including those to warn lorry drivers of narrow roads.

Transport Minister, Norman Baker, said: “I am bringing an end to the ludicrous situation where councils have to come to central government for permission to put up signs they need to use.”

Anyone who’s driven an HGV in an unfamiliar town or city will breathe a sigh of relief as they will no doubt have experienced that unsettling feeling when the satellite navigation system tells you to ‘turn left’ down a narrow street. If you take the plunge and make the turn, there’s always the risk that the street will narrow further or worse turn into a dirt track. But then if you reject the advice of the technology system and go it alone there’s a chance you’ll get lost and find yourself in an even tighter corner. What a conundrum!

If councils have the power to erect road signs alerting fleet drivers to unsuitable roads the world will be a much better, less stressed-out place. And residents living on said dirt tracks will no longer have the misery of seeing enormous vehicles hurtling past their houses or have to direct confused drivers back to the main road.

The change in procedure is expected to take place from 30^th January 2012. What a great Christmas present for lorry drivers everywhere!

We’ve all been there. It’s quarter to nine in the morning, you’re late for work, and you’re stuck behind an elderly driver travelling at 30mph on a 60mph road. It is very frustrating, however we were surprised that 60 percent of motorists feel so inconvenienced that they believe elderly people should be forced to give up their driving licences.  Shockingly almost a quarter (24 per cent) said that by the age of 75, 70 or even younger, motorists should be banned from driving completely!

The research was conducted by the International Longevity Centre (ILC-UK), who polled 1,005 adults on their views of older drivers. Eighty-five percent of respondents believed re-testing should be compulsory with 40 percent of these saying this should happen at the age of 65 or younger.

While we think asking older drivers to re-take their test is a good idea, it seems a bit harsh to force perfectly capable drivers off the road just because they’ve hit 70. What about all the super-grans and granddads that do sky-dives and live to over 100? It seems cruel to rob them of 30 years of motoring.

At present, drivers are not required to re-take their driving test, however, they must complete a medical questionnaire to confirm they are fit to drive, and must re-apply for their driving licence when they reach the age of 70. This system seems perfectly adequate. Those drivers who do not pass the medical test will quietly be refused a licence renewal and the road will be a much safer place, while motorists with all their faculties intact will be allowed to continue driving. Otherwise the Government will be required to source additional public transport to cope with the hoards of older people suddenly descending on the network.

While there’s no denying that the research from the International Longevity Centre is interesting reading, for once we hope the strength of public opinion does not sway the Government into needlessly banning the older generation from the highway.

Avoiding potholes has become part of everyday life – just another thing to look out for on your way to work, along with cyclists and stray children. In fact I’d go as far as to say that swerving around potholes is an acquired skill, which has been honed over the past year as the number of potholes on our roads has multiplied. The size of the pothole determines the level of skill required. For a small hole, it’s about aiming your vehicle so the wheels straddle the crater. Hmmm, why do I feel like I’m writing a Jackie Collins novel? A larger hole is more demanding, requiring the driver to deftly swerve the vehicle without crossing into the oncoming lane of traffic, or if the hole is a real monster and cannot be avoided, approaching it with the right level of speed that avoids damaging your vehicle. This pothole business is tricky stuff!

So, we were not surprised this morning when the AA released the results of a study which found that the number of potholes on UK roads has increased and concluded that the UK is facing a pothole epidemic before the winter has even really begun. Its army of 1,000 ‘streetwatchers’ found an average of 12.9 potholes per neighborhood last year which has risen to 14.9 this year suggesting that local authorities have been overwhelmed by the problem.

Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland were among the areas worst affected by potholes, with an average of 19 in each neighborhood for the North East and Yorkshire and a whopping 20.1 in Scotland.

“The AA Streetwatch volunteers have once again shown that the UK has a pothole plague which has not gone away despite extra repairs this year,” said Edmund King, the AA’s president. “Highways authorities need to get to grips with the pothole problem, as compensation claims will soar when cold weather strikes and roads start breaking up again placing greater burdens on already strained budgets.”

The AA study coincides with an inquest into the death of 67-year-old Margaret Nicholl who was killed when she was thrown from her bike after hitting a deep pothole. What will it take for the Government to address this serious problem? Motorists are facing increasing repair bills as their suspension becomes damaged from bouncing in and out of potholes and for cyclists and motorcyclists, hitting a pothole can mean life or death. Let’s get this sorted out before another tragedy occurs.

Despite the blanket of thick fog covering the UK today we were stunned by the vast number of drivers taking risks on our drive into The Fuelcard Company offices this morning. You would think that overtaking at 60mph on a single carriageway road when it is impossible to see more 20 yards in front would be widely acknowledged as a dangerous manoeuvre – not according to the four drivers that did just that this morning.

And then there are the motorists that have forgotten how to turn their headlights on, so they suddenly emerge out of the fog five feet in front of you, giving you a heart attack. Thanks for that…

We live in a country where rain, fog and snow are a staple part of the British winter and yet, shockingly, a large majority of motorists still do not know how to drive in winter weather. Only two days ago 52 vehicles were involved in motorway pile-up caused by fog, which should be a warning to all of us to be careful in difficult driving conditions.

So, appropriately, The Fuelcard Company has issued its winter driving tips this week – and not before time considering the death-defying journey we had into work this morning. With weather forecasters predicting another harsh winter and road maintenance budgets being axed, it is even more important that drivers know how to get themselves safety from A to B this winter.

A recent poll found that 80 percent of local councils had experienced a road maintenance budget reduction, prompting concerns that road conditions will deteriorate even further this winter adding to drivers’ woes. Around 20 percent of councils said they have been prioritising short-term fixes over permanent long-term solutions.

So, the result? Even more potholes lurking beneath the snow just waiting to throw you unexpectedly across the road and destroy your suspension. Fantastic.

Although there’s not a lot we can do to fix the deteriorating road network, (aside from constant lobbying which, rest assured, we are continuing to pursue!) we can give you some tips on how to cope with difficult driving conditions.

Jakes de Kock, Sales and Marketing Director at The Fuelcard Company, said:  “During winter months, motoring requires special care and a little preparation if drivers are to avoid a breakdown or accident. It is essential that drivers are prepared for such hazards before setting out on any journey. Regular maintenance of vehicles is also more important at this time of year as ‘The AA’ reports the number of breakdowns nearly doubles during particularly cold spells which can cause valuable lost hours to business.”

It really isn’t rocket science – simply slow down, stay in as high a gear as possible when driving in snow and ice and most importantly be vigilant.

Our top tips are below to help you stay safe this winter.

1. Drive slowly in icy conditions even if the road looks to be clear. Black ice can be very deceptive
2. Avoid braking too hard and too suddenly on icy surfaces
3. Remain in as high a gear as possible to avoid wheelspin
4. Be prepared for a break down and ensure you have warm clothes, breakdown service membership and a high-vis vest
5. Let friends and family know which route you are taking and when to expect you
6. Check tyres have plenty of tread before you leave (the legal minimum is 1.6mm)
7. Diesel drivers should also leave their engines running for ten minutes before setting off, to let engine heat warm the fuel, filter and pipes.

When we heard last week that the UK’s top ten most ‘industrious’ speed cameras take a whopping £3million a year from motorists we almost choked on our coffee. £3million every year?! Why are we undergoing a painful programme of budget cuts when it sounds like these speed cameras could single-handedly pay off the Government deficit all by themselves?

The most profitable speed camera was on the A1 (M) southbound, between junctions four and three in Hertfordshire, which captured an average of 789 drivers a month. In second place was a camera on the A3, Anglesea Road, in Portsmouth, which caught an average of 537 motorists a month, equating to £387,000 generated in fines a year.

Although £3million in profit will no doubt make local councils feel good, we have to ask ourselves whether this method of speed control is really effective if 789 drivers are being caught exceeding the speed limit every month in one area alone?

A spokesman for Drivers’ Alliance told the Sun, which compiled the figures from Government information: “Cameras don’t improve safety. They’re often placed to generate maximum revenue.”

The whole point of speed cameras is that they are a deterrent, forcing people to slow down; however the high figures seem to suggest this isn’t working. Although the additional income may be a welcome bonus when budgets are stretched, rather than counting up their profits, perhaps councils should be thinking about implementing alternative, more effective forms of speed control such as speed bumps to tackle the issue.

We’ve all heard about gas-guzzling vehicles. Well, it turns out drivers like a good guzzle too!

The next time someone tells you they munch on carrots and celery sticks when they’re peckish at the wheel, don’t be too quick to believe it. The potential links between driving and obesity have become shockingly clear in recent weeks, with two news stories in particular that caught our attention.

A survey by The Fuelcard Company has suggested a whopping 88 per cent of drivers eat mainly fast food and convenience snacks in their vehicles, in stark contrast to the one in ten who opt for fruit and healthy snacks. The poll also saw 26 per cent of motorists admit to eating while driving every day.

The implications this could have for obesity and heart disease could be very serious. No doubt about it, excessive snacking at the wheel is bad for you.

Not to mention potentially illegal. While not an offence in itself, eating while driving can significantly distract a driver, taking their attention off the road.  Police therefore are cracking down even further – motorists have been known to receive penalty points, and should eating at the wheel be found to be contributory factor in a road collision, the sentence could be much more serious.

The Fuelcard Company’s figures were released just after World Heart Day on 29th September, a national campaign to inform people around the globe that heart disease and stroke are the world’s leading cause of death, claiming 17.1 million lives each year. The annual day is also designed to highlight that at least 80 per cent of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided if the main risk factors, tobacco, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, are controlled. Long periods in the car make the latter two risk factors even more likely.

Further research this week showed the opposite end of the obesity-driving spectrum. Luxury car manufacturers have taken steps to adapt their vehicles to accommodate bigger people as the obesity problem has worsened over the years. BMW, Mercedes and Porsche are among the carmakers expanding the size of their models to cope with our expanding waist-lines!

So, if you don’t want to be among the group of people causing carmakers to increase the width of their vehicles so that people can actually fit in them, perhaps those carrots and celery sticks may not be such a bad idea. As long as they’re eaten before getting into your vehicle.

Congratulations to the cabbies who took part in Shell’s Smarter Cab Drivers Challenge and slashed their average fuel consumption by 20 percent each. If they continue to maintain this level of fuel consumption, they will save a whopping £1,500 over 12 months – that’s equivalent to 1,100 litres of fuel.

But how did they do this, we hear you ask? Did they have special fuel monitoring equipment fitted? Use specialist tyres? Or perhaps some other fancy gadgetry? Well, no, none of these – they simply drove smarter.

Each of the cabbies received training on fuel efficient driving techniques and put into practice some of the tips they’d learnt, including avoiding over-revving their engines, turning their air conditioning down or off and reducing the load carried in boots.

As we’re sure you’ll agree, none of this is rocket science, more like plain old common sense and certainly techniques we business drivers can easily introduce into our own driving. Simply slowing down a little and changing gears more slowly will not only reduce fuel usage but is also much safer

Don’t forget, the vehicle itself needs a little TLC. Dirty oil, clogged sparkplugs and under-inflated tyres can also increase fuel consumption, so ensure fleets are serviced regularly.

Shell went on to say that, based on the cabbies’ savings, Britain’s 34.1 million drivers could make a collective fuel saving of up to £18.5 billion if they applied similar smarter driving techniques. That’s certainly a saving we want to be part of!

Visit Business Fuelcards to see what products are on offer and access detailed information about the benefits available – it may just make all the difference!

Long before time – this was The Fuelcard Company’s first thought to this week’s announcement of tougher penalties for dangerous drivers who cause serious injury to others on the road.

The motoring industry unanimously supported the introduction of a new offence – “causing serious injury by dangerous driving” – which will see the current maximum sentence of two years increased to five for reckless motorists whose victims are seriously injured but not killed.

We should hope so too! The emotional and financial consequences of serious injury suffered by countless victims and their families can be long-lasting and irreparable. It’s only right that reckless motorists who race around driving irresponsibly and cause such destruction get their just desserts.

Crispin Blunt MP, the minister of prisons and sentencing policy, shared this sentiment when he said: “At the moment there are some people who are very badly injured by dangerous drivers and with the emotional trauma for the families suffering under these circumstances, there is a gap in the law that means people are not properly sentenced so we are going to address that.”

Road safety charity Brake also believes the change in law is vital. Spokeswoman Sarah Fatica commented: “It will hopefully act as a bit more of a deterrent to say to dangerous drivers, ‘your behaviour is unacceptable and we are going to punish you accordingly’.”

It’s a shame that it’s taken this long to get the law changed so that victims and their families can take comfort from the fact perpetrators are being properly punished. We support the new legislation and share Brake’s hope that it leads to improvements in driving behaviour and importantly, a reduction in serious collisions and wrecked lives as a result of dangerous driving.

Smartphones are amazing – fact. The era of mobiles where the functions were limited to calls, text messaging, a shockingly bad quality camera and perhaps mini Solitaire, is well and truly over. With the birth of the iPhone, the Blackberry, social networking and the mobile app (of which there are now thousands), you literally can’t pull our attention away from the smartphone.

This is fine if you’re in the safety of your own home but when crossing a busy road of traffic is something else entirely.

A survey by LV= car insurance this week has revealed just how distracted we can get by our beloved smartphones, almost to the point of endangering our own lives and the lives of others. The poll saw one in ten pedestrians admitting to regularly crossing the road while distracted by a gadget, despite a third (31 per cent) admitting their ability to cross safely is extremely impaired when doing so.

Twenty million people are now estimated to own a smartphone, so the implications of this research could be very serious indeed. If these figures were to be applied across the nation, this might suggest two million people are regularly endangering their lives at crossings and junctions, all for the sake of the small shiny object in their hand.

The study, which was conducted in busy urban areas across London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Cardiff, also saw a gender divide between smartphone users and their attitude to crossing busy roads. Fifty-eight per cent of men who were observed crossing roads while using a mobile phone did so unsafely compared to 53 per cent of women.

How silly can we be? Are we that addicted that we can’t just pocket our smartphone for a few moments while we safely cross a road, and then take it out again?

Yesterday’s (26 September) Guardian reported that the smartphone obsession among young people is such that they would rather choose the latest gadget on the market rather than a flashy car. The report suggests the love affair between motoring and younger generations may be coming to an end because handheld gadgets are just becoming too darn attractive!  And as the obsession with the smartphone increases, the percentage of 17 to 20-year-olds with driving licences has fallen – from 48 per cent in the early 1990s to 35 per cent in 2010.

So not only are many pedestrians stepping out into busy traffic transfixed by their smartphone, many of them will not be drivers and therefore, may not be as conscious of what a hazard they could be causing. A dangerous combination…