From May 2022, all new cars will have to include speed restricting devices. This is intended to make driving safer by reducing peoples’ ability to drive too quickly. Speed restrictors are only a part of plans to make driving safer. Other plans include the potential addition of breathalysing devices to cars. More ambitious ideas even include preventing drivers from being distracted by smart phones in the car.

Slowing Drivers Down

Speed Restricting Devices are a key element of the European Parliament’s attempts to improve road safety thoughout the European Union (EU). Speed is (indirectly) one of the greatest causes of road deaths around the world. Driving too quickly inhibits drivers’ abilities to react to dangers around them. It also reduces their reaction times. Lawmakers hope that reducing the ability of drivers to drive too quickly will lower the likelihood of an accident.

Will It Restrict Speeding?

The system is only required to warn drivers when they are travelling over the speed limit – not to actually prevent them from doing so. Many of the plans suggested by the European Commission (EC) were ambitious and perhaps not currently possible. This represents the split worldwide on how to make driving safer. To some people, being able to go fast in their cars is a personal right and should not be infringed upon.

What is certain is that cars that are sold in and to the EU will have to be fitted with devices intended to make them safer. Thousands of cars suffer serious and dangerous accidents every year with many of them needing to be written off. If these changes do help, then the number of write-offs could reduce significantly every year.

Making Up for a Write Off

If your car does suffer a write off, you could lose a lot of money. Insurers generally only pay out to the amount that they currently value your vehicle at – not the amount you paid for it. GAP Insurance protects the value you paid for your car. It does this by filling in the gap between what your insurers value your car at and what you paid for it. Protecting yourself from the additional cost of write-offs is the best way to keep your wallet safe too.

 

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