Insurers have to pool together to pay for the accidents that these drivers cause but the money has to come from somewhere. We are all in fact actually paying for these claims in a roundabout way but will the new Continuous Insurance Enforcement scheme really address the issue?

For most van drivers, their vehicle is the heartbeat of their business and it is in use for twelve months of the year. For others, however, business may be seasonal and the vehicle may come out in the summer before being stored away during the winter months. So how will the scheme affect everyone?

In simple terms, it is no longer acceptable just to allow your insurance policy to lapse at the end of its term. You either have to renew it or you have to tell the Department of Transport that you are taking your vehicle off the road by way of a SORN declaration.

Under the new scheme, insurance companies are obliged to tell the DoT that your policy has lapsed, so it is absolutely vital that you comply with the new regulations. If you fail to do so, there are some hefty fines or even worse penalties.

If you fall foul of the new scheme, a fixed penalty of £100 is issued and in the most severe cases a court case will ensue which could result in a maximum fine of £1,000. In addition, your vehicle may be clamped, impounded or even destroyed.

There’s no doubting the problems that uninsured drivers cause for the honest motorists out there and it’s only fair that they should face punitive measures if they continue to flout the law. If it can help to cut overall insurance costs, then the new scheme should be welcomed.

Most people simply renew their policies every year as a matter of course without any problem. However, there are some who may face problems because of the new rules.

If your van is an essential part of your business 365 days a year, then your annual renewal makes your insurance continuous and you therefore have nothing to worry about. But what about those drivers whose businesses are seasonal? Ice-cream-van drivers and those who use their vehicles to tow a catering truck may be just two sectors in which insurance cover isn’t required for the whole of the calendar year.

In the past, for the months when these drivers weren’t using their vehicles it was easy to stow them away in a garage and not worry about insurance cover. The SORN declaration was only applicable for road-tax purposes and had to be sent off to the DVLA.

Finding short-period cover in the past may have been an issue and many van drivers may have chosen to take out an annual policy and cancel it when their vehicle was off the road. However, under the new regulations, if you carry out this practice then your van will show as uninsured on a register known as the Motor Insurers Database.

You are perfectly entitled to view these records yourself and details of how to do so can be found on the government’s website. However, only your insurers are allowed to amend or update them.

The new regulations mean that van drivers will have to be very organised and not let their insurance renewal or their SORN declaration slip their mind. Other motorists are at risk too, including motor cyclists, classic-car owners or anybody that only uses their vehicle for part of the year.

It should go without saying that there needs to be a major clampdown on anybody that deliberately drives without insurance and punitive measures have to be introduced to minimise this menace. However, these measures will also penalise honest motorists for a genuine oversight. If you don’t want to be hit hard in your pocket, you must be fully aware of the new rules.

The pair have warned that French authorities are planning to introduce a law that kicks in on July 1st that will require all drivers – even those just visiting the continent for a day- to carry a breathalyser kit or incur a fine of €11. Many motorists are aware of overseas police being more likely to target number plates from another nation because they often do not follow the local laws, so it may be no surprise to have official warnings ahead of future travels to the continent.

Luckily, tourists will be able to invest in a single-use breathalyser kit through both ferry and tunnel terminal crossings to France, and only cost around £1 or £2. They are calibrated to the French drinking limits too, which are lower than those in the UK. IAM said that it was worth having at least two breathalysers at all times, so there is a spare should they be stopped twice.

This requirement adds to regulations that already demand that drivers carry an emergency warning triangle as well as a fluorescent safety vest; motorists from the UK also need to display a GB plate and have their headlights looking to the right, should they be able to calibrate them.

“The new French rule is a genuine attempt to reduce the number of alcohol related-accidents,” said IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig. “France’s lower limit means it’s very easy to be over the limit the morning after as well. As always, the best advice for motorists is not to drink and drive at all.”

Executive director of Staveley Head Paul Cartwright added: “Our experience shows that drivers are largely unaware of the lower legal alcohol limits when driving on the continent. Over the course of the next couple of months, Staveley Head will be offering a free breathalyser kit to all new motorhome customers in an effort to highlight the lower limits during the summer season.”

Benefits

Pipe carriers help to keep materials clean and intact. When pipes are tied precariously to the roof of a van, they run the risk of being lost on the road, stolen, or worse, they can cause serious injury to those around the van if they do fall out. Van pipe carriers reduce not only the liability risk of your materials being stolen, but they also lower the risk of injury to others. In the latter case, of course, it would be you or your company that bears the responsibility when it comes to insurance and legal matters.

What to Look for in a Pipe Carrier

Because one of a pipe carrier’s main functions is safety, it is important that you make sure you are getting the safest option on the market. Look for one that has been tested in crash studies, as the sudden stop of a van can cause an unsecured and heavy load to fly off.

There are also some factors to consider when buying the right size van pipe carriers, especially when you are ordering them online. In this case, you will want to carefully consider the dimensions so that it can fit with your existent roof rack (if there is already one on your van), and so that it is not too long for the cargo area of your vehicle. Most of them are either 2 or 3 meters in length, which means it is usually preferable to arrange them along the length of the van.

Finally, when shopping around for van pipe carriers, make sure that the type you want to buy will accommodate the usual amount of piping that you carry around.

Overall, van pipe carriers are a great option if you are often in charge of carrying around valuable piping materials. Finding the right one for your van can help to ensure not only against theft but against hazardous conditions as well.

Manufacturer and Model Questions: Perhaps you’re loyal to a certain auto maker. If so, read on. If not, however, take your time on this one.  Ask friends, family and coworkers to share their experiences with various makes and models. How reliable was the vehicle? Did it need many repairs, and were those repairs reasonably priced? Are replacement parts and skilled mechanics easily available? Examine manufacturer’s websites, but remember, they want to sell you their van. Read current consumer publications to get an idea of each van’s advantages and flaws. Find independent websites that compare and contrast vans. When you’re ready, test drive each model that interests you, to get a feel of how the vehicle will be for you to drive every day.

Money Questions: Most manufacturers’ websites will have a cost of ownership section, but this is not always as informative as you might like. If you are going to use this van in your business, it’s going to see a lot of use, and your maintenance and fuel costs will therefore be higher. Discuss your needs and concerns in detail with sales staff. When it comes to financing, you’ll also want to shop around; dealer financing can be good, but it may not be the best deal around. Check into your options, and remember to figure in the VAT.

Accessory Questions: Think about what accessories you really need for your van. If you’re hauling cargo, for instance, you’ll want to think about plylining, load-lashing rings and bulkheads. Because most vans have a choice of wheelbases, figure the size of items you’ll be carrying. If you’re hauling people, you need to think about the number of passengers, how flexible seating should be, and if children’s safety needs should be considered. Need to keep in touch constantly? A Bluetooth may be a necessity. Many safety and security devices are now standard, but consider whether or not you need Hill Assist, Traction Control, and which Thatcham Security Category is adequate.

Buying a new van is an exciting, if somewhat daunting, decision, but with thorough and patient research, you’ll find the best one for your business or family.

How it Works

When companies sign up for a freight exchange, they have the incentive to perform better because their business practices will be closely monitored. They will also be ranked on their performance, which can show other companies how much of a business risk they present. This risk level is calculated using many factors, including payment history, references, reviews in the exchange system, and credit history outside of the exchange. Reporting Debtors

Each freight forwarding company has its own late payment policies; some are rather lenient and understanding, while others enforce a strict zero-tolerance late payment policy. Whatever the case may be, these freight forwarders can report debtors in the freight exchange system, which will show that the debtors present a financial risk, and if the problem is severe enough, the debtors can have their access to the exchange restricted.

Overall, online freight exchange sites not only provide an efficient means of communication, they also help maintain quality control by allowing freight forwarders to choose companies based on risk. View an example at www.logintrans.ie and how they operate. Also, when they encounter payment issues, they can report debtors so that those companies can be held accountable for non-payment. Thanks to these freight exchange systems, freight forwarders can get a better idea of which companies are reputable enough to trust with major jobs, and they can filter out the ones who are most likely to pose a risk to their business operations.

Entune Telematics Service, or Entune for short, was introduced by Toyota at the Consumer Electronics show on Wednesday, January 05, 2011. This system is being touted as a revolutionary in-car experience that allows the driver to link up his or her smart phone with the car. Once the driver registers their new car through the company website, the app can be downloaded to the owner’s smart phone. Entune is expected to be compatible with phones that feature an online data plan, such as the one offered through the Apple iPhone.

While this might seem like a new innovation to drivers who have only recently upgraded their new cars and mobile phones, this system is actually in competition with other similar systems put forward by Ford, for example, who came out with AppLink in their vehicles. However, AppLink only currently offers three apps, whereas Entune is expected to feature five apps.