Burden of road accidents climbs to over £200 per driver

Drivers are indirectly contributing over £200 a year each in taxes to cover the costs of road accidents, according to new research by Privilege Insurance. This includes police, medical and ambulance costs, damage to property and administration costs of accidents.

According to Privilege’s research, almost nine in 10 safe drivers — those with four or more years no claims discount — believe they should not have to contribute to covering the costs of road accidents. Instead, six in ten believe unsafe drivers should contribute to the cost of the accidents they are involved in themselves.

And as the Road Safety Bill enters its final stages in Parliament, more than eight in 10 (83 per cent) of all drivers believe the Government should use this opportunity to adjust vehicle excise duty (road tax) to compensate the 77 per cent of drivers who haven’t had an accident in the last four years.

A concept supported by three in ten (29 per cent) motorists interviewed by Privilege would result in the virtual abolition of road tax for the safest drivers, with the costs of road accidents to the taxpayer being met by those drivers who have had an accident in the last four years.

Ian Parker, managing director of Privilege Insurance, said: "Safe drivers, who have had four or more years of claim free motoring, clearly feel penalised by the current road tax system which sees them contribute to covering the cost of accidents which they have neither caused or been involved in. While the practical implications of drivers’ views will need to be examined in more detail by the government and a tax reduction is just one possible approach, it does seem that more could be done to reward safe drivers."