Vehicle safety is a hot topic these days, in part thanks to revolutionary and rigorous safety testing procedures introduced in February 1997, which resulted in a complete rethink of the way that vehicles are designed to prevent injuries and fatalities.
Euro NCAP was introduced as a response to high rates of serious injury on roads and the slow progress towards improved safety regulations. The aim was to put vehicles through a series of independent crash test procedures in order that a Euro NCAP safety rating be assigned to the vehicle – despite strong opposition from car manufacturers initially, 9 out of 10 cars sold on the European market today have a Euro NCAP rating.
Recent figures from Thatcham suggest that thanks to safety improvements driven by the Euro NCAP testing procedures, there has been a 63 per cent reduction in car occupants killed and seriously injured, from 23,000 in 1997 to 8,500 in 2015. These are staggering figures and testament to many of the things that we take for granted in vehicles today such as airbags and side impact protection.
With the more recent introduction of technology such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), where brakes are applied automatically if the driver doesn’t respond when a stationary or slow moving vehicle is detected and Lane Assist Systems, which prevent cars drifting out of their lane on motorways, there is a shift towards crash prevention. This progress over the last 20 years has enabled consumers and businesses to have access to and choose the safest vehicles.
All businesses have a duty of care to their staff and drivers, so the 20 year anniversary of the Euro NCAP testing is a good time to review your vehicle choice, ensure you are aware of the rating system and how this can help you choose the safest vehicles for your needs. In addition, businesses who invest in vehicles with modern safety measures may find that the added benefit of demonstrating that safety is at the forefront of your business may be the ability to help manage increasing insurance costs. Insurers take a more favourable view of vehicles with these safety features and higher NCAP ratings.
Here at Anthony Jones, we believe that a focus on safety should be rewarded so are calling for a reduced rate of Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) for Personal and Commercial Customers driving vehicles with the highest Euro NCAP ratings and safety features such as AEB, Forward Facing Cameras, Telematics, Safety cages, Park Lane/Assist to name just a few.
Find out more about our approach and how we may be able to help your business here.
