Tag: van driver safety

Caught Driving Without Insurance? Here’s What Happened Next

Posted on by News Desk

Not having insurance and skipping medical tests can quickly turn into a costly mistake.

For instance, a man from Liverpool was recently hit with a massive fine after driving without completing the required medical tests.

Why?

Because he drove his van without third-party insurance or a valid licence.

He had been denied the licence due to medical reasons.

Later, at the town’s magistrates’ court, he pleaded guilty to two offences and ultimately faced the consequences.

Avoid Fines And Penalties

Van drivers frequently get caught out for driving without valid insurance.

Or, they skip crucial medical tests.

Both are risky moves.

Failing to comply? It can lead to substantial fines.

Why do people risk it?

The rising cost of insurance, especially for commercial vehicles, is a big reason.

Van insurance can be extremely expensive, especially if you’re looking at third-party or fully comprehensive cover.

Some may try to save money by skipping insurance altogether.

But that decision could cost them much more in fines and penalties.

Driving Laws: What You Must Know

Many van drivers simply don’t understand the laws around insurance and medical tests.

That lack of knowledge can land you in serious trouble.

You see, some drivers may not even realize they’re breaking the law.

And that’s a big mistake.

Be Prepared, Not Sorry

Some drivers believe they can get away with it.

But here’s the thing:

Law enforcement agencies are now using high-tech tools like automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.

That means it’s easier than ever to catch uninsured drivers in 2023.

Driving without completing the required medical tests?

Equally risky.

These tests ensure that drivers are healthy and fit to be on the road.

Take vision deterioration, for example.

That could lead to accidents, putting other drivers at risk.

What You Can Do

Stay compliant.

Always keep your driving licence up-to-date.

Get the right insurance for your van.

And, of course, complete the necessary medical tests.

It’s the law.

Ignoring these rules could cost you dearly—both in fines and in your driving record.

Remember:

It’s not just about avoiding penalties.

It’s about staying safe on the road.

So, be responsible. Stay compliant. And keep yourself and others safe.

Time to Brush Up on those Van Driving Skills?

Posted on by News Desk

Logistics UK has launched training for a new van driver safety course.

What’s this new course all about, then?

There are currently four million vans parked or driving about on the roads of the UK right now. With the recent boom in the delivery industry, and a general lack of van drivers, HGV and lorry operators, this course might be more important than ever.

Alongside Covid-19, Brexit, and other forces that have been mightily disruptive or resulting in heavy changes, there’s already a backlog of drivers waiting to be trained.

This course aims to propel van drivers to ensure they’re up-to-date and keeping safe as can be. Both on the roads, and for themselves. The course covers topics from loading to driver fatigue, so we think it’s a must for anyone thinking of joining the industry.

What can I expect to learn?

Well, firstly, the good news is that this is an e-learning course. So, as long as you have access to some sort of tech device that is capable of running videos, and can display texts and images, you’ll be fine. 

Although, don’t take our word for it – it’s best to contact them directly if you have questions.

The structure is quite basic and consists of only 2 modules:

  • 1: Vehicle (checks on the vehicle, fuel efficiency, loading safely and hours of the driver)
  • 2: Driver (industry, licensing, road rules, defence driving, fitness, wellbeing and safety)

If you’re a seasoned van driver, you might find yourself thinking this isn’t for you. Fair enough! However, with ever-changing rules and requirements, you never know what new fact might come in handy.

How much does the course cost?

You’ve got 3 options here, and all of them are per use:

  • £9.95 if you’re a Van Excellence Accredited Operator 
  • £12.95 for Logistics UK members
  • £17.95 for all you non-members

Where can I find more information?

Simply head on over to the Logistics UK website. You can also view details about the course here, or sign up here. You’re welcome.

What next?

We hope you’ve found this post useful. Whether you’re new to driving vans, or a seasoned van driver, the learning never stops.

Unfortunately, what also never stops, is a requirement for van insurance. 

This is where we come in. For a new van or a renewal, simply fill in this form with your details, and be amazed by our cheap van insurance deals.

The Battle of the Century? Van Drivers Versus E-Scooters

Posted on by News Desk

This post is a warning for all our lovely van drivers out there on the roads, simply minding their own business.

E-scooters can now be categorised into the same class as motor vehicles.

This could put you at a greater risk of losing legal protection for any personal injury claims you may need to make, as a result of other motorists’ actions.

Let’s hope you never have to, but what’s the deal?

Let us set the scene.

You’re driving along your usual delivery route when suddenly, you find yourself staring at someone hurtling towards you on an e-scooter.

But wait – why are they riding along without a care in the world on the opposite way of a street that’s meant to be one-way? 

You have no choice but to swerve.

In swerving, you end up injuring yourself.

Whiplash.

Awful whiplash, actually.

However, due to a new loophole, you won’t be able to claim for legal aid.

Especially if the claim falls below £5,000.

Bad times.

There has been a rise in the number of people becoming e-scooter riders lately, and that’s all well and good and that (especially for the environment), but let’s face it.

They aren’t half annoying.

Especially, for motorists in vans, mainly due to safety issues, plus the risk of losing out on legal aid.

Whilst the e-scooters are only able to speed along at the menacing speed of 30 miles per hour, they can still be used on roads and even in cycle lanes.

However, this is only allowed in areas where around 50 rental schemes (lasting 12 months) have been rolled out in certain areas.

There are currently 31 regions taking part.

There has been speculation that the environmentally friendly scheme came about to reduce the number of people using private transport after Covid-19 restrictions start to loosen and lift.

Safety is currently a huge concern surrounding the e-scooters, especially when not all users consider safety paramount. 

So, have you spotted any e-scooters lately?

Perhaps you rent one yourself?!

The impact of e-scooters in public spaces is currently being monitored.

So if you have experienced a close shave with one, or would like to share your experiences, it’s time to get in touch with the UK’s Department of Transport!

Whichever side of the battle you find yourself on, at least you know you’re covered with cheap van insurance costs.

Simply fill out this form and let us take care of the rest.

Avoid Fines From The Latest Driving Law

Posted on by News Desk

Okay, own up.

Are you guilty of tailgating?

Maybe you’ve done so in the past.

Perhaps, that one Tuesday when you were running late and the Nissan Micra in front of you was crawling along at a snail’s pace?

The Nissan needed a hint, or you were going to fall behind on deliveries. 

Or, perhaps reading the above makes you angry.

Are you on the side of van drivers who absolutely hate tailgating?

Have you ever fallen victim to it yourself? 

Well, whether you’re guilty or not, you may want to rethink driving too close to other cars.

This is solely down to the latest driving law that may be on the cards and introduced very soon.

A law that penalises drivers who might be driving, let’s say, a little too close for comfort. 

And surprisingly, it’s you, the drivers, who are backing these proposals from recent campaigns.

Nearly 90% of motorists would happily support these plans to hand out fines to offenders, as it would unequivocally promote and increase road safety.

Do you agree that more needs to be done?

Recent results from trials surrounding tailgating indicate a likelihood of the new rule catching potentially thousands of offenders.

The UK government trialled the technology that would be used to catch tailgaters in Northamptonshire, specifically across the M1.

The tech is able to detect whether motorists – yes, that even includes you in the Ford Transit there, sir – are keeping a 2-second gap from the vehicle in front of you.

And this is at all times! 

Tailgating is a potentially risky and major problem for drivers on the road, especially for our lovely, innocent drivers.

Did you know it was listed as the reason for nearly 600 severe accidents in the previous year?

Tragically, in 28 of these, death was the result for some people.

Perhaps this is an excellent time for the government to put these proposals into action, especially with recent campaigns gaining so much support.

So, what do we think?

Not worth the risk, eh.

The last thing you want after being out and about in your van is to come home to a letter stating you’ve been caught tailgating.

Safer roads are something we definitely stand for – that, and cheap van insurance, of course!

Know your Van’s Weight Limit Or Be Fined up to £300!

Posted on by News Desk

This week’s latest news comes to us from the wonderful town of Reading. You may have heard about an unlucky driver who was fined a whopping £6,000 for breaching restrictions to do with his van’s weight. 

Thankfully, not all of us who breach weight restrictions can expect a £6,000 fine. The Mercedes Sprinter driver had overloaded his van by 900 kg. So, not just by a smidgen then. Unlucky for our Sprinter driver, a weighbridge found an excess weight of 25.7%. The Public Protection Partnership (PPP) quickly spotted how low the van was to the ground. It was clear the van was under strain.

We’re sure you already know this, but it is against the law to breach weight restrictions, and unfortunately, the driver’s defendant company found themselves paying over £6k for the sorry mistake. 

Do you know how much weight you’re legally allowed to have in your van? 

Avoid the fines and stay up to date with the latest laws. The DVSA may carry out spot checks, so here’s an easy reminder of how you can stay safe and know just how much you should be carrying:

  • Your van’s gross vehicle weight (GVW) minus (-) your van’s unladen weight.

Let’s explore an example:

  1. GVW is 4000 kg. Unladen weight is 2250 kg. 
  2. Therefore, 4000 kg – 2250 kg = 1,750 kg. 
  3. So, 1,750 kg is the most your payload can weigh.

It’s important not to forget that the payload weight also includes any excess luggage and passengers, too. How you load your van could also affect the overall weight, as you want to make sure you’re not putting too much weight at the front to cause an overload.

Learn More About Van Weight Limits

If you’re unsure about how much weight you’re carrying and want to check within the limits, you can visit your local weighbridge. 

If you’re new to van driving, it might be worth checking out the latest government guidance on loading and driving a van. There’s even a handy video. Access further information and visit the site here.

Whether you’re new to driving a van or know all the rules and regulations like the back of your hand, we’ve got you covered with insurance. So, if you’re on the lookout for cheap van insurance, take a couple of minutes out of your day to see just how much we could save you right here.

We’re Leaving Home…

Posted on by News Desk

Another week dawns, and with it, we finally have some reasons to be cheerful. First of all, FOOTBALL IS BACK! We’ve got La Liga with crowd noises finally feeling like footy used to feel, and the Prem kicks off this week with your trusty editor’s team of their birthright, relegation-facing Aston Villa vs. Sheffield United this Wednesday. 

For van drivers around the UK, life is also starting to form a semblance of normality, with shops and non-essential retail reopening from today, meaning deliveries need to be made and people need to buy things – and, if the reports of people queuing round the block to get into Primark and Next are true, then that’s a lot more deliveries that are going to be happening. Will the bubble of retail enthusiasm last? It remains to be seen, but it surely bodes well for the lifeblood of the UK economy, the white van man. 

With it though, comes more stupid drivers out on the road, some of whom haven’t been out in their car for the best part of 3 months. Just as we cautioned last week, there’s a lot of it about, and reports this week show that there has been a massive increase in insurance claims for accidental damage, as Doris reverses into that bollard, or Clive scrapes that car he’s trying to parallel park next to. 

In the South-Central region, vehicle insurance claims for accidental damage are up a whopping 48%, compared to the previous week, with numbers similarly bad in London and the North East. So, while your white van men and women get on with doing what you’ve been doing, keeping the country moving in bread and value pack knickers, it is a case of worrying about what the other idiots on the road are doing and going all out to avoid them. 

Also, worth avoiding are any retail parks where there is a fast food outlet, as reports reach us of queues around the block for certain Mcmeals which are back on the menu. Queues of up to 3 hours have been reported at some branches for a drive-thru after months of home-cooked food only. And we see a great deal of you have been in those queues yourselves. Was it worth it? Just be aware that in some areas you’ll find whole lanes queuing for a taste of those golden arches, so if you’re in a hurry, maybe give those hotspots a swerve.

We hope your lives are returning to normal. We’re sure by next week our soccer enthusiasm will be back to despair, meaning life really has resumed its status quo. In the meantime, safe driving. 

The Coronavirus Diaries – In Which the World is Going Mad

Posted on by News Desk

It seems the world is slowly losing it’s mind. Maybe it’s just us here at CVI HQ, but this week there are more tales than we can believe of van drivers making daft decisions and the great British public also losing their collective marbles too. 

In Wymondham, near Norwich, there were reports of a food van driver being attacked and robbed. The perpetrators were thankfully not only caught, but also fined for breaching coronavirus restrictions. This sadly mirrors more general reports of food service industry workers under fire from the public and even brawls in the supermarket aisles. It seems tempers are fraying up and down the country as lockdown continues.

Meanwhile, in Cumbria, a van driver was arrested for driving his van with no front tyres. Yes, you heard right, no tyres. We know HMRC has relaxed the ‘no MOT’ rules for now, but this beggars belief. (For the record, you may not have an MOT, but your vehicle is still expected to be roadworthy). 

Over in Doncaster, a van driver who had phoned in sick as self-isolating was caught transporting motorbikes in the back of his van for off road racing during lockdown. He was promptly sacked.

Staying up north, one van driver managed to create some smiles as he hastily scrawled ‘no bog rolls kept in the van overnight’ in the dirt on the back of his transit. 

Whether you’re staying home or one of the drivers up and down the country sticking it out and getting things done, it pays to remember that yes, the roads are quieter, but now, more than ever, staying safe and retaining a good sense of humour matters. Yes, the general public can be idiots and take what you do for granted, but there are many of us who depend on you doing what you do to keep our country moving and will be eternally thankful to you for it. You may not get the same recognition as many of the other key workers out there, but now more than ever, your country needs you to stay safe and keep doing what you do. 

Staying Safe in Uncertain Times

Posted on by News Desk

Okay, so we’ve not spoken about it so much, until now, but as a van driver, what should you be doing to stay safe during the coronavirus outbreak?

The good news is that you have been designated ‘key workers’ meaning that those of you who are self-employed can keep going for now and keep some money on the table until the chancellor hopefully announces some new measures to help out, besides the current paltry £94 a week on offer. 

And now, more than ever, the nation is depending on you to move vital goods up and down the country. The plus side is that the traffic and parking is a damn sight easier. 

But what are your employers doing to keep you safe? 

Hopefully, you all have some form of PPE – be it gloves and masks or at least some hand sanitiser to take with you.

It’s so important to keep on top of not just regular hand washing, safe distancing and generally more awareness of what you do and when, but also to keep your van interior cleaner than ever. Steering wheels can be four times dirtier than toilet seats. Yuk. And your phone, sat nav, buttons and dials can all be breeding grounds for bacteria too.

At the start of each day, spend a little longer getting ready for your day. Give everything a liberal spray of antibacterial and actually clean things with a cloth because spraying alone isn’t going to be enough. Clean out all those used pasty wrappers and dirty tissues. The less in your cab, the less there is to get contaminated so give it a damn good sort out. Give footwells a wipe and all your door handles too.

Take disposable gloves out to open doors safely and if you require a signature on delivery, make sure your handset is anti-bac’ed too. At the end of each day, take your shoes off at the door and get your work clothes in the wash. 

Stop and think when you stop for petrol or a pee. Wear gloves and use elbows to open doors where you can. Resist the urge to pick your nose or touch your face through the day. Easier said than done, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Wash your hands before and after eating (you’ll likely need a packed lunch with all the drive-throughs closing). 

We all need to do our bit and while life goes on (for most of us, for now) for the hardworking van drivers of the UK, we just want to finish by saying thank you for everything you do to keep the country moving. 

Stay safe everyone. 

Van Drivers in Stormy Waters

Posted on by News Desk

Well, hardly surprising in this weather, but van drivers up and down the country have been hitting the headlines this week for all the wrong reasons. A DPD driver up in Fordingbridge had to be rescued after his van got swept away by floods when the river burst its banks, (so if you’re expecting a parcel, you may not be getting it). Thankfully, locals were there to pull him to safety. Over in High Wycombe, a van driver was left with serious injuries after being hit by a suspected drug-driver. Meanwhile, in Norfolk, a van driver blamed a drug-induced coma for crashing into a parked car, before hitting the wall of a house before finally stopping when he’d ploughed into a church wall.  Up in Scotland, another van driver finds himself in court after fatally wounding someone during Storm Dylan.

It’s not great on van drivers, is it? While we can’t really say anything about the drug user besides hoping he gets what he deserves, in this stormy weather, the chance of an accident it infinitely higher for us all, and if it’s your work and pay packet that’s at risk… when the weather is this bad, what’s the right thing to do? 

Granted, nobody wants to be on the road when the wind is blowing and the rivers are bursting their banks all around us, but delivery drivers and tradesmen still have jobs to do. Staying home till it passes would leave many without work for more than the duration of the storm. 

It all comes down to balancing the risk. Here are some things you can do.

  • Check the weather forecast before you leave. Know what you’re going to be facing so you can be prepared.
  • Check local news to find out about any floods or accidents. Social media is great for finding local incidents before the news picks them up.
  • Stick to major roads where possible. Avoid back roads and country lanes where trees might be down and you’ll find yourself stuck.
  • Plan your journey and let someone know your intended route. Check in regularly so they know where you’re at. 
  • Don’t travel when the storm is at its worst. If you’re late, you’re late. It’s better than the alternative. 
  • Be prepared. Take warm clothes, a phone charger, blankets and food and drink. If you get stuck, you’ll need it. 
  • Make sure your van is in good nick. Check tyre pressures, oil levels and that there’s nothing preventable that could go wrong. Check your breakdown kit is stocked and ready if needed. 
  • Fill up before each journey. That way, if you need extra fuel, it’s there. 

We hope this is the last of the storms for the year, but, this is Britain, where snow in April isn’t unheard of, so be prepared for anything and stay safe.

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