header-logo header-logo

18 April 2013 / Nicholas Bevan
Issue: 7556 / Categories: Opinion , Personal injury
printer mail-detail

Asleep at the wheel?

coverlarge

The government is driving dangerously, says Nicholas Bevan

Road traffic accident practitioners could be forgiven if the department for transport’s consultation paper on updating parts of the Uninsured Drivers Agreement 1999 and the Untraced Drivers Agreement 2003 had escaped their notice (see Review of the Uninsured and Untraced Drivers’ Agreements).

It is regrettable that the consultation paper restricts its scope to a relatively small number of largely peripheral procedural issues confined to claims against uninsured and unidentified drivers. It makes no attempt to address the many egregious defects in the protection afforded to victims; both within these Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) agreements as well as within Part VI of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the European Communities (Rights against Insurers) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/3061).

The plain fact of the matter is that the UK’s statutory and extra-statutory provision is not only out of keeping with the original parliamentary objectives of the Road Traffic Act 1930 but it also fails to meet the minimum standards imposed by the Sixth Motor Insurance

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Ward Hadaway—Nicola Williams

Ward Hadaway—Nicola Williams

Specialist tax expertise expands with partner appointment

Howard Kennedy—Caroline Urban

Howard Kennedy—Caroline Urban

Firm strengthens corporate and capital raising specialism with partner hire

Payne Hicks Beach—Lucas Moore

Payne Hicks Beach—Lucas Moore

Commercial disputes partner succeeds Robert Brodrick as chair of management board

NEWS
As family structures evolve, the law may face difficult questions about inheritance rights for those in polyamorous relationships
A series of procedural developments could have significant practical consequences for litigators. Writing in NLJ this week, columnist Stephen Gold highlights important updates ranging from digital court reforms to family procedure and admissions of liability
Global mobility is transforming family law, creating new challenges around jurisdiction, assets and child arrangements
The civil justice landscape could be heading for a shake-up, with reform of the Solicitors Act 1974 gathering pace
Employers are being urged to prepare now for far-reaching employment law changes taking effect in January 2027
back-to-top-scroll