Traffic Light Convictions on the Rise | Cheap Car Insurance and Home Insurance from Confused.com

05 November 2007

The number of drivers caught running red lights has leapt by 11%¹ this year, new research from Confused.com, the UK's leading car insurance comparison service, has revealed.

Undertaken to mark the 80th anniversary of the UK's first automated traffic light², Confused.com's analysis of convictions not only reveals a worrying rise in the number of drivers jumping lights, but the fact that men are two and a half times more likely to take the amber gamble than women.

Confused.com found that drivers convicted of red jumping lights (who receive three points as a result) can typically expect to see their insurance rise by up to 10%, while the number of insurers willing to provide cover falls. Combined with a typical £60 fine, Confused.com's research shows that amber gambling can be very costly indeed, in some cases amounting to as much as £365³ in extra costs.

To assess the impact of amber gambling on car insurance premiums, Confused.com took the profiles of a man and woman both aged 24, driving a 1.4 Ford Puma, living in North London, each with five years no claims bonus, to see the impact of a TS10 conviction (failing to comply with traffic signals).

This research revealed that both the 24 year old male and female would see their premiums accelerate by an average of 7% for one conviction, leaping to 23% and 24% respectively for two convictions. The number of insurers willing to quote for the male and female driver fell by 11.5%, and 7% respectively for a second TS10 offence.

Table of results:

24 year old man

Number of Convictions	Average cost of quote	% increase in insurance compared to a driver with no conviction	Cheapest quote	% increase	Shopping around saving	Number of insurers willing to quote
No Conviction	£720.14	N/A	£530.25	N/A	£189.89	29
One TS10	£773.82	7%	£623.70	18%	£150.12	29
Two TS10s	£888.25	23%	£705.60	33%	£182.65	26

Data provided by www.Confused.com. Correct as of 01 November 07.

Number of Convictions	Average cost of quote	% increase in insurance compared to a driver with no conviction	Cheapest quote	% increase	Shopping around saving	Number of insurers willing to quote
No Conviction	£589.56	N/A	£468.59	N/A	£120.97	30
One TS10	£632.03	7%	£554.48	18%	£77.55	29
Two TS10s	£731.00	24%	£637.57	36%	£93.43	28

Data provided by www.Confused.com. Correct as of 01 November 07.

Commenting on the findings Debra Williams, Managing Director of Confused.com, says: 'Many insurers see a distinct link between drivers jumping lights and the increased likelihood of claims and accidents. However, not all insurers penalise drivers in the same way. While the 24 year old male driver in our research would see his average insurance rise by £99 to £888 following a second TS10 conviction, by shopping around he could find insurance at just £705.60, a saving of £182.40.'

Confused.com is the UK's fastest and most comprehensive car insurance price comparison service, instantly searching and comparing prices from 97 per cent of the insurance market, returning real-time, fully underwritten quotes in less than two minutes. On average, drivers using Confused.com save £215.

Editor's notes

¹ Based on an analysis of 100,000 drivers per month between January and September 2006 and the same period for 2007, Confused.com discovered a dramatic upward trend in the number of TS10's, rising 11% over the same nine month period. ² The first automated traffic light was installed on 5th November 1927 on a small Island in the middle of Princess Square, Wolverhampton. ³ Based on the difference between a quote from its4me, which quoted £702.05 for a male driver with one TS10 conviction and three points, and a quote from the same insurer of £1007.91 for the driver with two TS10 convictions and six points. Figure includes a £60 fine for jumping a traffic light.

• Confused.com is the UK's leading insurance price comparison service, allowing people to search and compare the best premiums for car, home and travel insurance.
• Confused.com provides real-time, fully-underwritten quotes in less than two minutes - this means the price you see is the price you pay, guaranteed.

• The research was based on a 24 year old male and female, both holding a driving licence residing in EN2, North London, driving a 1.4, 3 door 1999 Ford Puma, gp9, with five years no claims bonus.
• Confused.com ran research across 29 UK insurers for the male driver and 30 for the female driver. Research was undertaken in November 2007.

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