To wonder why all car insurance companies don't do this?

[bendmeoverbackwards]

I have a box fitted in my car that my insurance company have as part of their terms and conditions. It monitors my driving and I get regular email updates.

I think it's good and makes me think about my speed, braking and acceleration which should make me a safer driver.

I'm wondering why all insurance companies don't do similar? Surely this is the best way to catch people who speed or drive aggressively and increase their premiums accordingly?

@bendmeoverbackwards why don't you get one and then come back?

I suspect though that you know how problematic they can be. Absolutely loath OPs playing dumb about something. As if someone doesn't know (or can't google since they start that discussion) how much is a penalty for driving without insurance...

This wide eyed "aw but I don't understanaaand, why wouldn't you if you are doing nothing wrong?"is tideous🙄

It might be compulsory at some point in the future. I hope so.
In the meantime I'll happily accept low insurance quotes for being mid fifties and having a full no claims bonus.
And I'll happily accept a 19 year old, in a massively engined BMW which has been massively modified to pay ten times more than I do. It'll keep my insurance payments lower.

I think it's great stopping bad drivers but I have to emergency brake lots with people pulling out ir randomly turning without indicating...I think that would put my premiums up on these plans?

Otherwise I'd be all for it being legal requirement

We had one when we started with our current insurer about 8 years ago. Now they know we’re boring as they come renewal is usually half the best price I can find on gocompare.

My acceleration is smooth and controlled. However, since my car will do 0 - 60 in 5.75 I suspect a black box wouldn't like it.

And that’s not even especially quick, why would you buy a car that can do 62 in 2/3/4 seconds for example and then want an insurance company who penalise you every time you bury the throttle.

It's not bad for a 21 year old car!

[quote SchrodingersImmigrant]@bendmeoverbackwards why don't you get one and then come back?

I suspect though that you know how problematic they can be. Absolutely loath OPs playing dumb about something. As if someone doesn't know (or can't google since they start that discussion) how much is a penalty for driving without insurance...

This wide eyed "aw but I don't understanaaand, why wouldn't you if you are doing nothing wrong?"is tideous🙄[/quote]
I do have one. I’m insured with RAC, I tend to look at price comparison sites every year and go for the cheapest option with a reputable company.

The emails I get make me think about my driving and how I can drive more safely. That can only be a good thing, no? We all get into bad habits post driving test with very little feedback as to how good or bad our driving is.

This isn’t new technology, I had this insurance 15 years ago with Aviva (or whatever they were called before), where I was charged per mile, but they stopped offering it. I suspect because my insurance was working out very cheap (£20pm and I was in my 20s.

@Alwaysandforeverhere

Maybe police could be given the funds to be able to tackle all those cars not taxed and moted.

I can see one form my window right now. Apparently over due since December.

I had to complain to my MP to get the Police /DVLA to do anything about the kid up the road who had been using his car with no tax and MOT for several months.
We'd never have known except he kept parking outside various neighbours to smoke weed. When the Police finally told him to get it done the car initially failed on dangerous brakes.

I am not sure why I bother paying my tax and getting an MOT - the Police and DVLA don't give a fuck.

I'd much rather spend my money on decent driver coaching / advanced training* than on a black box (which as other have said has no context - it just delivers 'data').

Admittedly I drive a moderately fast car and suspect that a blackbox wouldn't like what the car is capable of.

• I highly recommend the YouTube channel (and books) of 'RegLocal', a former police advanced driving instructor. He also does 1:1 training in your own car at very reasonable rates. I learned far more about driving my car safely, smoothly and quickly (when appropriate) on the road in a day with him that I would have done through emails from an insurer's blackbox system. See YouTube.com/reglocal and start with some of his early videos or read the second edition of his 'Advanced & Performance Driving' book (on Amazon/Kindle).

@MindGrapes

I would happily consider using them if the insurance company make public their algorithms and explicit details of how they use the data.

Agreed.

Nah I don’t want one thanks...

My phone watches/listens to me, Alexa does the same I suspect my tv also 🤷‍♀️

I have an advanced driving certificate, I can and do drive safely, sadly I can’t control all the twats around me! Eg the cyclist who didn’t stop at the junction and I would have hit if I hadn’t hit the brakes, or the arsehole who went over on a red light 🤷‍♀️

I’m not convinced that the data would be useful to lowering my insurance premiums. Dh would be heavily penalised as he works shifts.

The better way would be to actually have traffic police, regular driving tests, and actually have proper punishments for people who speed excessively or commit other motoring offences. No letting people off by judges and magistrates because the lack of a licence will cause inconvenience, no more bleeding heart stories.

A driving licence should be a privilege.

I had an insurance quote with a black box, it was over £1,000. Then I had a quote without one.... £250!

Surely these are for newly passed teenagers with little experience and brains that aren't fully developed? As someone who has been driving for 25 years I know when it's necessary to brake suddenly or accelerate quickly and have no wish to be punished for that because a small minority of people do this when it isn't strictly needed. Speed cameras and traps are there for the speeders. More average speed cameras get added all the time

@peak2021

The better way would be to actually have traffic police, regular driving tests, and actually have proper punishments for people who speed excessively or commit other motoring offences. No letting people off by judges and magistrates because the lack of a licence will cause inconvenience, no more bleeding heart stories.

A driving licence should be a privilege.

Yes, completely agree with this

You and other posters also clearly don't live somewhere rural or semi rural. All manners of wildlife like to jump out at you. Pheasants and rabbits are especially suicidal but deer and lambs often like to appear as if from nowhere too. Getting by tractors is safer if you put your foot down than dally about.

My insurance company does offer it. I declined.

RAC insurance says it all... not exactly the best or cheapest anyway.

RAC want to insure Dhs car for £800!! Hastings premium with all the added extras only £400. He has over 13 years no claims as well.

Maybe you should shop around op.

😂 are you feeling ok OP? You quoted my post saying one thing and somehow conflated that with something completely different.

I would like more shit drivers caught, absolutely, that’s not what I said or disagreed with, that also includes the absolute zombie ‘I’m not confident’ drivers who chill in the middle lane or do absolutely nothing to anticipate other drivers’ actions.

Speeding isn’t always dangerous.

midnight absolutely ! Or coastal and coming into sea fret then crawling along. Frequently have ‘driven’ in 2 foot visibility when didn’t realise those would be the conditions for parts of journey (or I wouldn’t have gone out).
Or the time a badger fell/dropped from a high hedge going about his way inches from me then decided to investigate the stopped car. In the end I got out and waited where I could see where he was. Luckily no other traffic on tiny track. Then he ambled along in front of me at less than walking pace for around 200 yards. That bit of ‘driving’ would have withdrawn my driving licence if remotely ‘analysed’.

I'm laughing at all the people who claim they have legitimate reasons for braking hard. If you do this as much as everyone else, you wouldn't be exceptional so wouldn't be penalised. If you do it more, then you are the common factor that explains the extra "emergencies."

Also, some people are questioning why acceleration would be penalised. Even if you are 100% safe in the way you get your Tesla from 0-60 in 3 seconds, the insurance companies will deduce that you choosing to do so says something about your emotional relationship to driving, something that indicates you are an increased risk generally. I suspect they'd be right.

The data it stores would most likely be used against you when you make a claim. Same as those life insurances that offer discount if you wear a health monitor watch but don't pay out because you only did 9945 out of your 10k steps on 1 day.

@macshoto

I'd much rather spend my money on decent driver coaching / advanced training* than on a black box (which as other have said has no context - it just delivers 'data').

Admittedly I drive a moderately fast car and suspect that a blackbox wouldn't like what the car is capable of.

• I highly recommend the YouTube channel (and books) of 'RegLocal', a former police advanced driving instructor. He also does 1:1 training in your own car at very reasonable rates. I learned far more about driving my car safely, smoothly and quickly (when appropriate) on the road in a day with him that I would have done through emails from an insurer's blackbox system. See YouTube.com/reglocal and start with some of his early videos or read the second edition of his 'Advanced & Performance Driving' book (on Amazon/Kindle).

I agree with this -- and second the recommendation for the Reg Local (pretty sure that isn't his actual surname) YouTube channel. Whatever side you sit on this debate, his stuff is terrific and well worth a watch.

@bendmeoverbackwards

It's a good idea, BUT it should be optional.

The poll result shows that most people wouldn't like it though!