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Van Driver Fined for Eating At the Wheel

Wednesday, May 16th, 2012

A van driver from South Yorkshire was hit with a £600 fine after being found guilty of failing to be in proper control of his vehicle after police officers saw him eating a cheesecake while driving his van.

John Barton pleaded not guilty to the offence when appearing at Rotherham Magistrates Court earlier this month but was fined £200 with £400 costs by the court. He will now have to wait for his van insurance renewal before he finds out whether the incident will affect his commercial vehicle insurance premium. Traffic police officers said they observed the van driven by Mr Barton weaving between lanes on the day in question, and they considered him to be a danger to other traffic. One officer said he observed Mr Barton driving with his elbows on the steering wheel while he ate a cheesecake with his hands. Mr Barton completely denied eating a cheesecake but did admit to eating a bite sized marshmallow. He also admitted the van was weaving between lanes but said that was down to the weather conditions and said the nearby Tinsley Viaduct had actually been closed that day due to high winds.

He went on to say: “I was weaving but not because of me having my hands off the steering wheel, I just wouldn’t do that. The police officer who stopped me said he actually saw me eating, but he didn’t. He also said I sniggered. I didn’t, it was the guy sat next to me. I feel it was all an injustice. I was eating but not a cheesecake, it was a little marshmallow which I took from the dashboard in just a few seconds. My argument is that people with cigarettes hold them with one hand on the steering wheel and all I did was take a chocolate teacake or whatever off the dashboard.”

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said: “This is the same sort of case as a mobile phone. When you’re behind the wheel it’s potentially a lethal weapon. You have to be in proper control or you risk injuries to others and yourself.”

Tags: dangerous drivers, Police, safety, van insurance, Yorkshire
Posted in Crime, Drivers, commercial vehicle insurance | No Comments »

Suffolk Police to Hold a Protect Your Van Day

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

Firms in Suffolk have welcomed a Police scheme to help combat the increased number of catalytic converter thefts in the county. A marking session will be held in Sudbury this weekend and the Police are expecting a huge number of commercial vans to attend the free service.

More than fifty converters have been stolen across the county since the start of the year and all but three were from vans, with more than half involving Mercedes Sprinter vans. These figures have prompted police to organise a free etching event at the Red Star Garage on the Woodhall Business Park. The “protect your van day” will run from 9am to 4pm and officers will be on hand to offer crime reduction advice. Alongside the marking sessions, registered scrap metal dealers will be informed of the marks and invited to alert police if any stolen catalytic converters are offered to them.

Police are advising drivers to park commercial vans in such a way as to make access to the catalytic converter difficult, or parallel with another vehicle if possible. The converter itself can be easily secured with a clamp and an anti-tamper alarm which is available from a number of local garages or via the Internet. A number of fleet managers are also deciding to keep all commercial vehicles in a locked compound with an alarm, strong lighting and CCTV cameras, rather than having the driver take the van home for the night. This also reduces the chances of the company having to make a claim on their commercial vehicle insurance policy.

Crime reduction officer Verity Lines said: “The idea of the day is to raise awareness of catalytic converter thefts and it will also offer the opportunity for businesses and members of the public to come along to get advice and see what anti-theft devices are available. We’re really grateful to the garages involved for helping out with this. We understand that having the kits in garages means it’s easier for more people to access the service.”

Tags: Catalytic Converters, Commercial Vans, Police, Suffolk, Theft
Posted in Crime, commercial vehicle insurance | No Comments »

Motorway pirates, a new phenomenon

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

Police forces across the UK are warning drivers of trucks and large vans to be watchful when they park up in lay-bys as criminals have developed a new way of stealing from their vehicles.

The gangs who operate on the UK’s network of main roads and motorways are customising their own vehicles by creating a camouflaged side door and using this to rob from other vehicles. The operation involves the thieves sidling up to the side of a lorry or the back of a van and then stealing the load while the driver is either sleeping or in a transport café enjoying a rest break.

The police have dubbed the miscreants “Pirates of the roads” and Sue Coutts, a Detective Sergeant with a special crime unit, explained how they work “The gangs generally target soft-sided lorries parked in quiet lay-bys and parking areas. They pull-up alongside, open their secret side door and slash a hole in the canvas of their target vehicle. If they like what they find they will simply step across and offload the contents by hand – passing it to another gang member standing in their van. If they don’t like what they find they will move onto the next parked truck and slash away until they find a valuable load.”

The effect on victims of the crime is two-fold. First of all they have to replace the goods they were delivering and then hope their commercial vehicle insurance policy covers them for a crime that has been possibly committed with the driver in his vehicle. The problem is becoming more common place and now the special crime unit “Truckpol” are asking motorists to report the number plate of any vehicle with a secret side door they happen to notice when they are driving.

Tags: commercial vehicle insurance policy, crime, Motorway pirates, Police
Posted in Crime, commercial vehicle insurance | No Comments »

Police step up their no excuses campaign in Dorset

Thursday, January 5th, 2012

A year after Dorset police started their “No Excuse” campaign, they have announced that they are planning to unleash a new detection system which will help them catch even more drivers flouting the law.

Since January 2011, every motorist caught flouting traffic laws has been given the chance to pay £60 for a driver safety course and avoid getting three points on their licence. The scheme has been welcomed by many professional drivers who would prefer to pay £60 rather than get points on their licence plus the prospect of higher commercial vehicle insurance quotes. Extra officers have been working near collision hotspots to clamp down on drivers who are speeding, using mobile phones, not wearing seatbelts and drink/drug driving. Now in a further step ten police vans have been fitted with new lasers which will allow a traffic officer to detect from a much longer distance whether a driver is using a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt while driving. Senior police officers feel the device will help boost detection and spread the message to drivers that they have a responsibility to drive safely on the roads of Dorset.

Brian Austin is the campaign manager and he said: “We have seen an 18% reduction in casualties when compared with months before the campaign started. We’re not saying it’s all down to No Excuse, but it has contributed towards the reduction in casualties. Other counties’ casualty rates have reduced by 8%, Dorset is significantly more. The aim is to change the way drivers act. With safety cameras, traffic officers and road safety officers we want to make people more aware of the risks they face when driving.”

Dorset Police have spent £200,000 on advertising to drive home the message of the dangers of the road. During the first year of the campaign 13,500 offences were processed with 22% for seatbelt offences and 16% for mobile phone offences. The campaign has highlighted the bad excuses drivers have given for their poor driving. One driver who was caught doing 43mph in a 30 zone claimed she was speeding to get home to check she hadn’t left her tap running. while another said he was racing home to feed his dogs.

Tags: commercial vehicle insurance quotes, crime, Dorset, No Excuse, Police
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Police urge van drivers to leave nothing inside the vehicle at night

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

Police are convinced that an organised group of criminals are behind the recent increase in vans being broken into. Tools have been top of the list of stolen items but police think others have been broken into in the hope that there would be packages for delivery still in the vehicles.

Humberside Police have confirmed that ten work vans that are all unconnected have been broken into in the Pocklington and Wilberfoss areas within the last seven days. On each occasion, the thieves struck in the early hours of the morning and made away with all kinds of tools from the vans. Police have appealed to milkmen, dog-walkers and all other early risers to keep an eye open and to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small.

Sgt Rogers said: “It is clear that all of the incidents are being carried out by the same group who seem to be targeting the entire borough. We have for some time been telling business’s to tell all workers to bring their tools into the home when they arrive home each night. However, some are continuing to take the chance. Most workers have actually had to buy the tools themselves and now they will have to replace them out of their own pocket.”

The vehicles targeted included a Citroen Dispatch van, a white Peugeot van and a white Citroen Berlingo van. The police have spoken to all three companies and although the vans are protected by UK van insurance, the tools were the responsibility of the driver. As only the locks were damaged none of them will be claiming on the insurance, however, the owners of another van that was stolen will have to claim as thieves not only stole the van but then cut the floor out to allow them to steal man hole covers without getting out of the vehicle. They then abandoned the van after crashing it into a wall.

Tags: Police, Thieves, UK van insurance, van drivers, vehicles
Posted in commercial vehicle insurance | No Comments »

Robbery threat will be answered by increased police presence

Friday, December 9th, 2011

As the Christmas period approaches police in the West Midlands are warning criminal gangs that they will be making their presence felt on the streets and highways over the next few weeks.

Police officers in Staffordshire will be put on special duties from this weekend trailing cash vans that deliver money to Supermarkets, Banks and other shopping outlets to dissuade criminals from raiding the vehicles. The initiative comes after a raid in nearby Streetly, part of the West Midlands Police area, netted the thieves £23,000.

Superintendent Martin Evans, of the Staffordshire force, is determined the gangs won’t strike on his “patch” and said: “The increased use of covert patrols will make cash-in-transit robberies a far more risky enterprise for gangs. We are aware of the potential hot-spots; we are in regular communication with the industry over delivery times and are generally well prepared. Marked and unmarked police cars will follow security vehicles, but there are many other covert tactics in place. This is a crime which can have lasting effects on the people who are working for the security companies or businesses, but it is one we are determined to stop.”

Security firms and their van drivers will be delighted with the news and although it is not known if the police presence will cost the firms cash, it will certainly help their commercial van insurance standing.

The fight to stop gangs raiding cash vans has been ongoing for many years with police forces across the country joining forces and swapping information on well known criminals. December is always a time of high activity for criminal gangs and Staffordshire Police are keen to make sure it is not their force that hits the headlines if a robbery does take place.

Tags: commercial van insurance, Police, Staffordshire, van drivers
Posted in commercial vehicle insurance, van insurance | No Comments »

Drivers will no longer get just a warning

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

Drivers of all kinds of vehicles are being warned they are running the risk of being given a fine if they continue to flout the parking laws in the market town of Bishop Auckland. Police are ready to start handing out the fines to anyone who persists in parking in an area that is clearly designated for pedestrians only.

In recent weeks PCSOs (Police Community Support Officers) have warned nearly three-hundred drivers that if they continue to park in the area they will be issued with a £30 fine. The Police Community Support Officers claim a number of delivery drivers are still flouting the rules. The police say no vehicles should be parked in Victoria Avenue and Newgate Street, in the town centre, between 12pm and 4pm and that includes all disabled badge owners and vehicles typically covered by van insurance, which are looking to unload deliveries. Drivers can park in the area after 4pm until12pm the next day but only for one hour.

PCSO Mark Peacock said: “Initially, after monitoring the situation, we issued warnings to drivers in a bid to highlight the problem but, subsequently, we will now have to start issuing fines. As Christmas approaches the number of shoppers in town is increasing which in turn results in more traffic. Many of these vehicles are being parked illegally and drivers entering and exiting the zone are putting pedestrians at risk of injury.”

Police are urging all drivers to be considerate and to park in the many pay and display car parks located around the town to avoid the risk of being given a ticket. A police spokesman reiterated they intend to ensure the town is a safe place for people to come and shop, and drivers who ignore the advice will find themselves facing a £30 fine plus points on their licence if they re-offend.

Tags: commercial vehicle insurance, illegal parking, Police, van insurance
Posted in Crime, Drivers, commercial vehicle insurance, van insurance | No Comments »

Police vans to carry mug shots of criminals again

Friday, August 12th, 2011

At a time when Police forces in major cities across the UK are placing images of rioters on websites in the hope of public recognition, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have re-launched a campaign they ran earlier this year whereby the photographs of the cities most wanted criminals are placed on the sides of police vans.

The vans which will all be covered by commercial vehicle insurance are normal in every other way but for the images on the side. Each van carries images of the 12 criminals with their name and the offences they have committed. A phone number where members of the public can give information about the criminals anonymously is displayed prominently on the vans and GMP hope the success of its last campaign is repeated. In spring of 2011 seven of the twelve criminals placed on the vans were apprehended due to tip-offs from the public.

Phil McDonald, a policeman from the GMP, said “We know from speaking to the community that you want to see these offenders pay for their crime and we hope that by using tactics such as these those people can be brought to justice.

“Our officers have carried out great work to reduce the numbers of our outstanding offenders, but there are still people on the run trying to evade punishment for their criminality.

We would like to urge anyone who knows that they are wanted to hand themselves in to police immediately. Anyone found to be helping those who are wanted could also find themselves in trouble.”

Phil McDonald went on to say: “I would also like to appeal to the community to work with us and help bring these suspected criminals out of hiding and make our streets safer”

It is expected that the idea could be copied by other forces in the near future especially for catching looters and rioters who have so far evaded justice, as well as help with victim’s vehicle insurance on any of the vehicles that were damaged in the riots.

Tags: commercial vehicle insurance, Greater Manchester Police, Police, vans
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Police to join forces to cut down on the costs of running a fleet of vehicles

Monday, July 25th, 2011

Neighbouring police forces are investigating the plausibility of combining their resources to use one fleet of vehicles instead of two separate ones. Coalition cutbacks have already resulted in fewer fleet managers throughout the police and with cuts of 25% being made to budgets; this is an option that will be taken up in order to save some cash.

The Home Office are keen to drive the agenda forward and they believe the trend of forces working more closely together will pave the way for even greater integration in the future. The ambulance service has gone down to nine regions and still works extremely well and the long term plan is for the police to switch to larger regional forces. The police have also been told that they could learn a lot from companies such as BT and Post Office which easily operate national fleets and have made great savings on commercial van insurance costs.

Richard Flint, chairman of the NAPFM, (National Association of Police Fleet Managers) said “A number of fleet managers have left because of austerity measures and I’ve seen nine retire recently and not all have been replaced. It’s dawning on everybody that this is the way it’s going to be and there is an opportunity to work together. If I went to the CEO of a national company and said I want to divide fleet management up into the number of regions the police has, I would expect to be shown the door as costs would spiral out of control.”

The Home Office is also keeping a close eye on events in Scotland, where its eight police forces have been described as unsustainable. They have started to investigate if there should be just three regional forces or even a single national service. However, any radical overhaul will not happen quickly and the focus must still remain on working regionally in terms of fleet management.

Tags: commercial van insurance, Costs, National Association of Police Fleet Managers, Police, The Home Office
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