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NI Environment Minister announces consultation on changes to MOT Test

Car owners in Northern Ireland have the chance to voice their opinion on new changes proposed for the MOT test. Environment Minister Alex Attwood announced details of a consultation process on the likely changes on 14th November.

The consultation has been proposed as a result of the increasing sophistication of modern vehicles and the need to standardise European vehicle testing standards.

Commenting on the proposals, Mr. Attwood said: “Motor vehicle technology has advanced significantly in recent years, while the MOT test in Northern Ireland has seen relatively few changes since its inception in 1975.”

“Modern vehicles incorporate many more electrical safety systems and the European Commission has decided that these systems should now be included in the MOT test.”

It is hoped that the additional test requirements will help ensure vehicles are properly maintained, tested and will also make significant contributions to road safety and environmental protection.

The proposed changes include “up to 22 new test items dependent on vehicle category”, according to the Minister. The Department of Environment (DOE) are currently in the process of preparing a range of communications for issue very early in 2012, providing NI car owners with further information on how the changes will affect the MOT test. Details can also be found on the DOE website.

To help prepare motorists and garages for the introduction of the changes, it is proposed that the new test will be carried out on an advisory basis from 1 February to 30 April 2012. If vehicles do not meet any of the new requirements customers will be advised of the issues but the vehicle will not be failed. The changes to the test will then come become fully effective on 1st May 2012.

Mr. Attwood says he is keen to seek the views of the Northern Ireland public, particularly those with professional experience of preparing vehicles for roadworthiness tests.

NI motorists may be facing some changes when it comes to the MOT test, but once your car has been approved road-worthy, it is always good to know you can avail of a 10% online discount on your car insurance with AXA Direct.

Brought to you by AXA NI Car Insurance

“My car won’t start-It’s just nuts!!”

There’s nothing more frustrating than hopping in to you car (usually when your already running late) only to find it won’t start.

It’s a really annoying experience, and not one which would normally put a smile on your face, however, this story taken from BBC News may describe one of those odd occassions. When mechanic Andy Smith received a call to repair a broken-down jeep at a nearby Hampshire Farm, he presumed that it would just be another normal everyday job.

But after spending 20 minutes carrying out the usual diagnostic tests, Andy had still hadn’t figured out why the jeep was failing to start. As it had no power, he had assumed there might be a problem with the jeep’s turbo, but after further testing, he soon realised that the turbo was fine. Time for a little head scratching-the mystery grew!

Caught RED-handed!!

Determined to get to the bottom of the issue, Andy carried out further tests and after taking the air intake off, he finally discovered the bizarre cause of the problem. To his amazement, a squirrel had been using the air box and pipe in the jeep to stash it’s hoard of nuts for the Winter and had managed to cram in over 200 acorns.

Andy said:  “The pipe and air box were literally rammed with acorns-they just poured out. The air intake is about the width of a drinks can so the squirrel obviously thought it made the perfect secret stash.”

After clearing the stash of acorns, Andy spoke of his relief at solving the mystery but also said he hoped the squirrel was not depending on the confiscated hoard.

The squirrel was unavailable for comment!

Brought to you by AXA NI Car Insurance

Illegal Tyre Trade-A serious danger for NI Motorists

Up to 2,000 part-worn tyres, many of which are suspected of being illegal and possibly dangerous, are being brought into Northern Ireland every week and sold to unsuspecting motorists.

The second-hand tyres, removed from other vehicles, may have been punctured, taken from a vehicle written off in an accident or replaced because of signs of ageing.

Most of these tyres are being sold as reliable goods, but many fail to comply with current legislation. More worrying still, these tyres are potentially life-threatening.

Barry Douglas from The National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) says that motorists could be putting their lives at risk by purchasing tyres that are not fit for purpose.

Mr. Douglas explains, “There is a real problem with tyres not being sold properly and legally and in some cases part-worn tyres are being sold without the knowledge of the customer buying them. A lot of these tyres are winter tyres and 95% of those being sold at the moment simply don’t comply with legislation.”

The Tyre Industry Council, the UK’s leading tyre safety organisation, has also acknowledged that part-worn tyres are a serious concern. Along with the NTDA, both organisations are calling on the local authorities in Northern Ireland to improve regulation within the industry to try and put an end to the sale of dangerous, sub-standard tyres.

In the current tough economic climate that we are experiencing, it is easy to understand why part-worn tyres can appear attractive to consumers; a brand new tyre costs around £45, whereas a second-hand/part-worn tyre can be purchased for as little as £10. This is why it is so important to make car-owners aware of the potential danger they may find themselves in as a result of purchasing part-worn tyres.

Jonathan, a 23 year old from Newtownabbey, who didn’t want his surname used, unwittingly bought an illegal, life-threatening tyre. “I bought a part-worn tyre from a dealer last week and I took it to a garage to get my wheels aligned.”

“The experts there told me the tyre wasn’t roadworthy, so I took it back to the supplier, who gave me another tyre, but the second tyre turned out to be twice as bad as the first one.”

“If it had blown up when I was driving I could have been killed and so could others.”

Brought to you by AXA NI Car Insurance

Young Drivers Most at Risk on our Roads

One in five young Irish drivers admits to racing other motorists on the roads. And drivers aged between 17 and 24 are five times more likely to be killed on the roads than other motorists.

These were amongst the most shocking findings from a new survey by Dr. Kiran Sarma, a chartered psychologist and lecturer in psychology at NUI Galway, that were revealed at the Road Safety Authority (RSA) annual lecture on Monday as part of the Irish Road Safety Week which runs until Sunday (16/10/11).

Speaking about his report, Dr. Sarma said that risky and reckless driving was linked with pro-speeding attitudes among family and friends and that “addressing speeding attitudes is important” but that “deeper psychological factors are also linked to dangerous driving on our roads.”

Speakers, Staff, Pupils and AXA Representatives at the Roadsafe Roadshow at Glenlola Collegiate

The survey of 1,500 drivers showed that young Irish males reported more cases of speeding, reckless driving and use of mobile phones while driving than other motorists.

Interestingly, the release of this report comes less than a week after the first PSNI Roadsafe Roadshow of the new academic year. The shows, which are sponsored by AXA Insurance and supported by Cool FM radio station, deliver a hard-hitting road safety message and highlight the tragic consequences of reckless driving.

Over one thousand Year 13 and 14 pupils from local Bangor schools attended the show at Glenlola Collegiate, where they listened to real-life accounts of road accidents from PSNI officers, Fire Rescue officers, Ambulance Paramedics and Medical Consultants who have witnessed the carnage caused by reckless driving first hand. The last person the students heard from was the tragic victim of a road traffic accident. They learnt that as a result of a few bad driving decisions, the victim was left wheelchair bound for the rest of their life and will never walk again.

The show definitely seemed to have an affect on those in attendance; here are just some of the comments from pupils who attended. You can see all the comments and photos from the show at the ‘Roadsafe Roadshow’ Facebook Page………

 “It was really good, completely changed my whole way of thinking thank you!”

SERC Pupils take a look at the damage caused by reckless driving!!

 “Was really good! Quite hard-hitting but will certainly make us all think twice about speeding”

 “Great show, straight to the point and definitely worth attending! anyone would think twice after listening to everyone today”

 “It was so good! I think it made a lot of people sit up and realise how serious speeding really is. It was so sad and I think that’s what made people think about it more…thoughts go out to all the families and friends out there that have been effected by carelessness on the roads”

 “Pick my little sister up from primary and I didn’t turn the car on till her belt was on, she thought I was mad. Your show definitely worked”

 “Was a brilliant show. Definitely showed how accidents like that can affect everyone who is involved and not just the people who was hurt. I drove like 10mph under speed limits on the way home, really hit me and most other people.”

The PSNI Roadsafe Roadshows will be held throughout the year at venues across Northern Ireland. AXA Insurance NI are very happy to play their part in delivering this very important and significant message to the young people of Northern Ireland

Brought to you by AXA NI Car Insurance

Lisburn- First city in Ireland to REACT!!

Lisburn city is officially streets ahead when it comes to keeping pedestrians safe. It has just become the first city in Ireland and one of only a handful of cities in the UK to install the new REACT system for blind and partially sighted pedestrians.

The REACT system was officially launched in the city on the 29th of September. It provides a talking sign system that enables blind or partially sighted people to be more independent, confirming where they are and helping them make choices about where to go next.

The high-tech system, overseen by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) also provides a trigger fob to all users which automatically sets off messages as the user approaches speaker units along their route. These speaker units have been installed all over the city, one of which is on the side of the AXA Insurance Local Branch in Lisburn Square.

Gwen English, Manager of the AXA Branch in Lisburn attended the launch of the REACT system. She said seeing the REACT system for the first time “really was quite an experience”. Gwen said that she was extremely impressed with the system and the intelligent technology involved. Alan Clarke, City Centre Manager explained this is part of longer terms plan for the city: “Lisburn City Centre Management is looking forward to working with their partners at the RNIB to fully deliver the project over the next 5 years”.

Lets hope that other cities throughout the UK and Ireland can learn from the fantastic example set by Lisburn and REACT in the same way!

Brought to you by AXA NI Car Insurance

More support for electric cars in Northern Ireland.

Plans to extend eco-friendly car facilities to Northern Ireland could soon see more green cars on our local roads.

The Guardian reports that the government’s Plugged-In Places scheme, which aims to provide drivers with charging points to power their electric cars, has already been granted funding to expand into Northern Ireland as well as Scotland, the midlands, east England and Greater Manchester.

“One way or another, the government is determined to ensure that the UK’s burgeoning community of electric and plug-in hybrid drivers is properly juiced,” the source noted.

According to the newspaper, electric firm EDF Energy predicts that 600,000 electric or plug-in eco friendly cars will be on the UK’s roads by 2020, which could see more drivers searching for suitable

Japanese car firm Toyota was the one of the first companies to make moves into the commercial eco-friendly car market and its Prius model continues to be a top-selling electric hybrid vehicle.

car insurance deals.

Diesel Cars Still Seen as Better Value

Drivers hoping to save money on their running costs often consider purchasing a diesel vehicle in order to reduce the amount they spend on fuel bills and servicing.

Those who buy new models from the showroom may also find that they can attract a higher price later when they come to sell them on, as research from British Car Auctions (BCA) has revealed that diesel autos will attract a premium.

According to the body, an average diesel-powered vehicle will sell for around £1,600 more than one that runs on petrol, despite the fact they tend to have a higher mileage when they come up for sale.

Communications director at the BCA Tony Gannon said high prices at the pump may be one factor in influencing people’s choice of car, but it is not the only one.

“Our research for the Used Car Market Report shows that they also value diesel’s perceived relative economy in terms of miles per gallon and lower servicing costs,” he stated.

Recently, it was noted by the AA that people are favouring lower value vehicles when they make a purchase.

 Northern Ireland drivers according to the AAA are concerned about the condition of the roads in the country, and the damage to vehicles caused by problems such as potholes.

According to a poll conducted by the AA, 76 per cent of respondents stated that the quality of surfaces has deteriorated in the past three years, with almost half saying the amount of degradation is significant.

However, Northern Ireland’s roads did perform better than many other parts of the UK in the survey, which found Scotland has the worst highway network, with over nine out of ten people saying that it is a growing problem.

Commenting on the findings, president of the AA Edmund King stated: “We have to keep up the battle against this blight which damages cars and risks road safety.”

He also called for an improved long-term maintenance strategy and extra money to tackle the issue.

Car insurance ‘top concern for UK drivers

People in the UK consider car insurance to be their number one driving concern, a new poll has found.

Visitors to honestjohn.co.uk cited the cost of running a car as their top priority during the last three months of 2010, the company stated, with insurance being followed in the poll by smaller cars, as individuals look for vehicles that are cheaper to operate.

Editor of the website Dan Harrison said it is “unsurprising” that in a period when costs are rising, ways to make driving a less expensive activity are foremost in people’s minds.

The extreme weather that was experienced across the UK at the time of the survey was also reflected, as winter tyres were an issue which was on the minds of many of the site’s visitors.

Other concerns for drivers in the last quarter of 2010 included dealers, warranties and the effect of snow on the roads, the survey revealed.

Recently, a poll conducted by the AA revealed many people are also worried about the condition of the highways, with three-quarters of respondents saying the state of surfaces in their area has worsened in the last three years.

Of course another way to cut your motoring costs would be to insure with AXA. Recent independent online research showed that insuring with AXA saved an average of £139 compared to other Northern Ireland insurers.  (The average saving was achieved in a whopping 35% of cases).

Northern Ireland Drivers Paying More For Fuel!

 Ever feel that you are literally being taken for a ride when you go to fill up your car at the forecourt?

The AA stated that if a two pence drop in the market cost of a litre of petrol had reached consumers, it would have compensated for January’s VAT increase, the Belfast Telegraph reports.

Prices for fuel in Northern Ireland are something of a “postcode lottery”, the organisation added, with average costs being four pence per litre higher than some other parts of the UK.

Edmund King, president of the AA, called for information on wholesale prices to be made publicly available in order to encourage transparency in the market.

AXA’s top tip to reducing fuel costs – use an online comparison tool like the one at www.petrolprices.com. It works well right across Northern Ireland, for example, my search today listed 5 different garages in the Omagh area, showing and where to get the cheapest fuel. This search highlighted a 5p difference in the cost per litre for diesel which means you could save up to £3 on filling an average 60 litre tank.

Of course another way to cut your motoring costs would be to insure with AXA. Recent independent online research showed that insuring with AXA saved an average of £139 compared to other Northern Ireland insurers.  (The average saving was achieved in a whopping 35% of cases).

Minister welcomes AXA support for seatbelt campaign

Environment Minister Edwin Poots has announced the continuation of his department’s road safety seatbelt campaign with sponsorship from leading local insurer, AXA Insurance.

Over the last decade there has been a major drive to improve seatbelt wearing rates, particularly amongst children and young adults.  The seatbelt advertising campaigns and the introduction of tougher new penalties for not wearing seatbelts have played vital roles in bringing about huge improvements.

The Minister said: “The AXA-sponsored seatbelt campaigns have had a significant influence on seatbelt wearing rates and saving lives.

“Prior to the campaigns starting in 2001 Northern Ireland had the worst seatbelt wearing rate in the UK. Now it is the highest – with all-time highs for drivers at 98%, front seats at 97%, and overall wearing at 97%.

“It is estimated that approximately 8 lives would be saved each year, 73 serious injuries and 269 slight injuries prevented if a 100% wearing rate was achieved.”

According to the World Health Organisation increasing seatbelt wearing is one of the fastest ways of reducing death and serious injury on the roads.

The minister continued: “I would especially urge parents to take responsibility for ensuring their children are safely secured while travelling – no matter how short the journey.  This simple action will massively increase a child’s chance of survival in a collision.  There is absolutely no excuse for not doing so.  My message today and every day is clear – NO SEATBELT, NO EXCUSE.”

Director of Road Safety in the Department of the Environment, Deirdre Kenny, said: “The urgent challenge in Northern Ireland is to improve backseat wearing where parents and drivers in charge of children and young people are breaking the law and putting lives at risk by not enforcing the wearing of seatbelts. The wearing rates of 5-9 year olds at 91% and of 10-13 year olds at 92% are most worrying and a reflection on the irresponsibility of a small minority of drivers, including parents, who are breaking the law and putting lives of children at risk.”

Marketing Manager for AXA Insurance, Kieran McCullagh said “There is no room for complacency on the issue of seatbelt usage. Drivers have a legal and a moral obligation to ensure their passengers are protected by a seatbelt. AXA insurance are delighted to support the DOE through sponsorship of the latest campaign and we are confident that this campaign will help to save lives and prevent serious injuries to our customers and drivers at large in Northern Ireland”

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Northern Ireland