Low Cost Vans

This June, the ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia will be lifted. The move is said to be part of the Crown Prince’s efforts to get more women in the workplace to help build the private sector and steer dependence away from oil. Not only is this a new opportunity for women in Saudi Arabia, but it’s also one for all the car dealerships who now have a much bigger customer base in the country. They still have a challenge ahead though – how to get the marketing right. Ford is already sending a clear message by saying that it will not be launching female only dealerships, with the marketing director for the Middle East and African region saying: “What this is supposed to be doing, and what government has said is the goal, is more integration of society, not necessarily separation.” But getting it spot on around how to appeal to women drivers is unlikely to be easy. Here in the UK, for example, few would say that the car industry’s efforts have managed it. A quick straw poll in an office of

The motorway can be an intimidating place if you’re not used to it. So, this 4 June, spare a thought for learner drivers who from that date on, will be allowed on the motorway with an approved driving instructor. It’s hoped that this change in the law will help reduce the number of casualties with young drivers, says Transport Secretary Chris Grayling: “Younger drivers are up to seven times more likely to be killed or seriously injured compared with drivers over 25 and lack of experience is an important factor. “Allowing learners to drive on motorways in a supportive environment will help them develop a practical understanding of how to use motorways safely before driving independently.” If you’re one of the many drivers who was let loose onto the motorway without any prior training, we thought it might be handy to revise some of the tips to safe motorway driving… (apologies if we’re getting you to suck eggs here). Getting on to the motorway The first – and perhaps most intimidating -

Van insurance is known to be more of a headache than car insurance. Vans are often more technologically advanced and of course as the majority of van owners use their vehicle for work purposes, the insurance needs to cover loss of business if someone loses work. Both these factors mean that insuring your van is usually pricier than insuring your car. And last year average premiums for vans rose 20.3% in the year to the end of January, making premiums an average £1,202! But there’s some good news for once… over the last six months there has been a slow-down in insurance prices for vans with prices dropping by 3.5%. It’s due to a change in tack from the government around something called the Odgen rate. If you’re not familiar, this is a figure decided by the government when they calculate what interest they think a compensation pay-out for a serious injury could gain - the lower the interest rate, the greater the compensation. And early last year, the government slashed the rate from 2.5