Telematics Is All About Safety Not Spying

1st April 2015

Following his appearance in the Sunday Telegraph and Mail Online at the weekend, Crispin Moger CEO at Marmalade, a provider of cars and insurance for young drivers, is concerned that safety - singularly the most important aspect of telematics-based insurance policies for young drivers today - was not a focus in the articles.

"Across the UK, 1 in 5 young drivers are involved in an accident, with our customers this is reduced to 1 in 17. This is wholly down to telematics and our approach to young driver's safety, which saves lives. If a journey is flagged as red, meaning it contained some potentially dangerous driving we will call our customers to discuss the problems. And yes, if it keeps happening, our customers understand that there will be a charge of £250. This is a hugely effective dis-incentive to poor driving and over 95% of our customers consistently drive well.

"We don't monitor young drivers for fun, and that's not why we give parents access to the online system. The very knowledge that their parents can monitor their driving will often make a young person think twice before doing something reckless. We know from customer feedback that this monitoring also avoids peer pressure, another big killer of young people on our roads today. Instead of bowing to peer pressure, young drivers can blame telematics and potential fines for not taking risks at the wheel and not, for example, racing against a friend.

"If there is an accident on a quiet rural road, which are the most dangerous roads in Britain today, telematics can help you to find your child. Telematics systems installed also mean that if the car is lost or stolen, it can be tracked.

“Our safety record means that we can offer our drivers very competitive and low premiums from the word go. So what's not to like about telematics? Smartphones today track people more than we will ever do and from conversations with young people at schools, I know that they just don't see it as an issue, particularly if it means they can afford to get on the road. And as a parent, I welcome anything that keeps my child safe."

www.wearemarmalade.co.uk

Marmalade is the leading provider of car insurance and cars for young drivers. Founded in 2006, it helps young drivers get behind the wheel, keeps them safe, improves their driving skills and saves money.

As a champion of young people, Marmalade provides a range of products that specifically meet the needs of young people - and their parents – today. These include:

Learner Insurance – is tailor-made for provisional drivers, enabling them to drive a parent's car from as little as £61.36 for 30 days while protecting any existing No Claims Bonus.

New Driver Insurance – by trusting young people to drive sensibly straight away, Marmalade's insurance cover starts low. Drivers are only penalised if they repeatedly drive dangerously, potentially saving hundreds of pounds on premiums. This policy is based on telematics technology – black boxes are installed into the insured car to monitor journeys and to encourage safer driving. They also provide added security in case of an accident or vehicle theft.

Fuel & Go - Marmalade is the only UK insurance company to offer free insurance for 17 year olds through its Fuel & Go scheme. The scheme, which uses black box technology, enables young people to buy a new car with free insurance for the first year for a fixed month price.