New roadside support deal between AA Ireland and Volkswagen

Volkswagen Group Ireland and the AA Ireland have announced a partnership for Roadside Support and Mobility provision, writes Brian Byrne. 

Under the partnership, the AA Ireland will provide Roadside Support and Mobility to customers of all six Volkswagen Group brands, including Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi, CUPRA, SEAT, Škoda, and VW Commercial Vehicles.

In addition to covering new cars, up to two years’ free Roadside Assistance will be given to all Volkswagen Group Approved Used Cars purchased from an approved retailer. Meanwhile, Volkswagen Group vehicles serviced at Volkswagen Group Authorised Service Centres come with SARA (Service Activated Roadside Assist) – 1 years’ free roadside assistance.

This new partnership was agreed following a competitive tender process run by Volkswagen Group Procurement.

There are more than 250,000 Volkswagen Group vehicles on the road in Ireland. 

Pictured are AA Patrol Brian Scanlon, Chris Lowry, Head of Warranty and Customer Care for Volkswagen Group Ireland, and Emmet Wrafter, Head of Business Services for the AA Ireland.

Annual cost of filling your car is up by 17pc

The annual cost of filling your car has increased by 17pc in the past year, as fuel prices reach new record highs, writes Trish Whelan. 

AA Ireland also notes that fuel prices are at their highest since they started recording figures in 1991. The national average price of fuel currently stands at 177.3 cents per litre for petrol and 167.6 cents per litre for diesel, an increase of 33pc for petrol and 34pc for diesel in the past year. 

In February 2021, fuel prices were 133.8 cents per litre for petrol with diesel at 124.9 cents per litre. In February 2020, petrol stood at 141.9c and diesel at 133.4 cents. 

A recent AA Ireland Twitter poll (501 votes in 24 hours) found that 84pc of people have been ‘significantly impacted’ by the high cost of fuel in Ireland. With figures based on the average mileage of 17,000km per year, a 50-litre fuel tank and a travel range of 700km per tank, in 2020 filling your petrol car cost €64 while the average price per litre was €1.28. This cost you €1,554 to fill your car across the year. In 2021, the cost of filling your petrol car amounted to €75.50 when the average petrol price was €1.51. This amounted to €1,833 for the year; a €279 increase compared to 2020. 

So far in 2022, the average price of petrol stands at €1.77 per litre, so it will cost you €88.50 to fill your vehicle. This, the AA say, would cost you €2,149 for the year and is a €595 increase on 2020 figures and a €315 increase on last year’s figures. 

The current prices before tax are added stand at 79.375 cents per litre for petrol and 82.358 for diesel. These taxes include Excise, Carbon Tax, National Oil Reserves Agency tax, and VAT. In a Twitter poll, the AA found 86pc of those polled said tax should be reduced at the pumps, while 14pc said it should not. 

Asking if people are considering switching their mode of transport away from combustion engine vehicles as a result of high fuel prices, of those that voted yes, 17pc voted for an electric vehicle, 7pc for public transport and 22pc voted for walking or cycling. Some 54pc voted for none of the above.

 

AA Roadwatch broadcast service ends

The AA Roadwatch broadcasts service is to end today after almost 32 years, writes Brian Byrne. The company says it has taken the decision as it looks to commence its next phase of growth.

"We will focus our efforts on other areas of motoring advice and editorial," says Don Brennan, Managing Director of AA Insurance, "to add a richer experience to our existing and future customers and members and become the primary source for motoring information."

Noting that new GPS technologies and traffic information sources means a 'wealth of detail' is available to motorists from various sources, Mr Brennan said the Automobile Association will still offer travel information, route planners, emergency advice, and reporting via its AA Ireland website and AA App.

The service launched the careers of many well-known broadcasters and presenters, including Lorraine Keane, Louise Duffy, Doireann Garrihy, Nuala Carey and Louise Heraghty. The AA’s Conor Faughnan, who was one of the first voices to be heard on the AA Roadwatch reports, along with Lorraine Keane and the service was helped in the early years by the “Eye in the Sky” – with information from a Robinson 22 helicopter over Dublin City from Bob Conway.

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Check your car for summer driving: AA Ireland

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels.

AA Ireland is urging motorists to carry out a number of maintenance checks on their cars if they have been idle during the lockdown earlier this year and last year, writes Brian Byrne.

This follows figures released by the Department of Transport that the number of vehicles declared off the road has fallen by almost a fifth since the early days of the pandemic. Since the start of June, there has been a marked increase in traffic volumes, with most routes now back up to 95pc of pre-pandemic volumes.

Tyres, batteries and brakes are among the items that should be checked, especially after extended idle periods. A post by AA Roadwatch covers in detail some essential checks one can make before getting back out on the road. 

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Most motorists experience insurance cost jumps

A quarter of Irish motorists in an AA Ireland survey said their motor insurance premiums had risen by between 30pc-50pc at their last renewal, writes Brian Byrne.

A further three in ten of the 3,000 people asked said their premiums had risen by between 15pc-30pc.

In all, three out of every five of the respondents has seen increases of at least 15pc over the previous year.

Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Consumer Affairs, says a report from earlier this year by Minister Eoghan Murphy and the Cost of Insurance Working Group must be implemented quickly. The report took on board recommendations from AA Ireland that included a greater use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology by the gardai, to identify uninsured drivers.

According to the survey, drivers aged between 35 and 46 were the most likely to have seen an increase in their premium.

AA Ireland and Kia partner for hybrid care

A new partnership between Kia Ireland and AA Ireland represents the rescue operator's growing expertise in hybrid and electric cars, writes Brian Byrne.

The deal with Kia gives owners of Kia Niro hybrids a 3-year breakdown service with technicians who are trained in the latest car technologies.

AA Ireland says it is encountering an increasing number of hybrid and electric vehicles calling for its services. That's because, regardless of the powertrain, such cars encounter similar breakdown reasons as traditionally powered vehicles, such as punctures, lost or locked in keys, and similar.

The company says hybrid and electric cars are the future of motoring in Ireland and it is committed to ensuring that owners of such vehicles won't suffer any consequences if a breakdown happens.

Pictured are Dave Murphy, Business Services Manager with AA Ireland, and David O'Connor, Head of Aftersales with Kia Ireland

AA: more callouts for tyre blowouts

The AA Rescue centre reports a significant increase in callouts for tyre blowouts since the beginning of October. This coincides with the results of an AA survey which shows that 11 percent of motorists have had a tyre blow out in the last four years.

Many things can cause blowouts, such as clipping the pavement when going around corners. The AA say many tyres have been so worn that they were bound to burst. "For so many people, money is tight at the moment and people are putting off spending on their cars, but this is a gamble that's not worth the risk."

The condition of our roads may be a contributing factor. Potholes and uneven roads can cause serious damage to tyres. An AA survey last March found that 82 percent of motorists believed the condition of Irish roads had deteriorated in the last year.

A new AA survey in July of 15,850 motorists found that 52 percent have regularly come across tyre debris on the roads. "If you are driving at 120km/h on a motorway and you strike a large piece of tyre, it can be lethal."

Motorists should check tyre thread depth and pressure and rotate tyres to help them last a bit longer. When the tread on a tyre is worn down, it's far easier to lose grip with the road and on wet roads, aquaplaning could happen. Driving on under inflated tyres is also very dangerous. Friction caused by soft tyres puts further pressure on weak points and makes a blow out more likely. The AA say they have seen more car insurance claims as a result of damage by blowouts.

Over insuring can be costly - AA

More than a quarter of motorists regularly drive a second car according to an AA Motor Insurance survey of over 17,300 people, writes Trish Whelan.

Men are more likely to drive a second car than women, as almost a third of male motorists regularly drive a second vehicle, compared to 17 percent of women. With this in mind, the AA is advising motorists to make sure they're not over-insured.

On families with young children, they say one parent may drop the kids off at school or eche Monday to Friday, and when the other parent takes over the kiddy-driving duties at the weekend, there's an issue with child car seats. It's common grandparents, fellow parents or neighbours to share the taxi duties. Rather than to have to move the seats from one car to another, it's easier to just swop cars.

The survey also found many drivers in the commuter counties around Dublin regularly drive a second car.

AA research in January found that almost 58 percent of motorists had struggled to pay for motor fuel, car tax, NCT or motor insurance last year. The AA say you may be adding an unnecessary cost to your bills. "If you're with the AA, you can jump from car to car as your insurance will give you fully comprehensive cover to drive other peoples' cars. This means you won't need to take out separate insurance cover for both vehicles."

Fuel taxes 'simply too high' — AA Ireland

As the prices of petrol and road diesel once again rose in September, AA Ireland says these costs are still unacceptably high, writes Brian Byrne.

The motorists' organisation says most of our fuel cost problems are 'self-inflicted', with too much tax in the pump price.

There have been five separate tax increases on petrol and diesel since 2008, AA Ireland notes, with taxes responsible for 57 percent of the retail cost of petrol and 51 percent of diesel.

High fuel costs add to the cost of living, take disposable income out of the economy and add significantly to the high cost of doing business in Ireland, according to the organisation which was formed to defend motoring issues, adding that it's now the right time to ease the burden and provide a stimulus to the economy in the forthcoming Budget.

The organisation notes that a typical monthly fuel cost for motorists today is almost €242, compared to just €207 before the 'emergency' Budget of 2008.

New season, new approach to road safety

The AA is advising motorists to reflect the change in the season with a change in their motoring habits.

Days are getting shorter and there's more of a need to use your car lights on a daily basis. It's also getting colder, winds are picking up and fog is becoming a daily risk. September has already shown how inclement weather can be a major factor in road safety with 41 collisions so far this month and eight fatalities.

They urge motorists to check their car lights, including fog lights. driving in the dark, with just one headlight functioning is dangerous, and an oncoming driver may mistake your vehicle for a motorbike and may not leave enough room to pass.

Wet leaves are a common problem at this time of year so check brake pads, tyre pressure and tyre tread depth. Wet leaves are not only slippery for motorists but also for cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians so make sure to leave plenty of room when passing more vulnerable road users. Keeping your in shape with a pre-winter service can help avoid unnecessary breakdowns. And the AA see a greater increase in call-outs every winter. The older the car, the more care and attention it will need so get your car serviced regularly.

If necessary, replace window wipers as most wiper blades only last about a year. Top up your washer fluid too to keep your windscreen clear. Check for oil and coolant fluid too.

Flooding can be another problem. Just six inches of water is enough to flood your air intake and could cause very serious and expensive damage.

(Full AA Press Release available below the Advert, and advice on driving through floods).

Significant decrease in fuel prices

Ireland has seen a significant decrease in the cost of both petrol and diesel this month compared to June according to the latest survey of fuel prices from AA Ireland.

Petrol now costs an average of 154.5 cent per litre, down 2.9 cent since June. The fall in price for diesel was even greater as it now costs on average 144.4 cent per litre, a drop of 3.6 cent.

Fuel prices have continued to fall since March of this year. In the last four months, petrol has fallen by 7.6 cent per litre and diesel by 10.7 cent.

However, filling up in Ireland is still extremely expensive. Tax plays a huge part in the cost of fuel here; the service station owners don't reap much of the rewards for increased prices as most of what you're paying is in tax.

Irish drivers pay out through a combination of excise duties, including carbon tax and VAT as over 57 percent of the price of both diesel and petrol is tax.

AA Ireland say "Ireland is an island nation and we need road-transport for business. The current policy of super-high taxes on fuels hits Irish businesses as well as ordinary motorists. It is in effect an anti-stimulus measure that increases transportation and business costs across the board.

The drop in fuel prices may be short-lived as oil prices have begun to creep up again and political problems in the Middle East may make that situation worse.

Increase in AA call-outs as cars deteriorate

An AA membership poll of over 20,300 drivers show that half those polled believe the condition of our roads is worse now than last year.

The condition of cars on the roads appears to have deteriorated most in Co Cavan where 56 percent said that cars were worse off this year. This was closely followed by participants in Kildare.

The recession has had a detrimental effect on car sales with motorists holding onto their cars for as long as they can as buying a new one is a luxury they can't afford.

The AA attend about 140,000 breakdowns every year, and say there has been a 5 percent increase in call-outs in the first five months of this year compared to last year. People aren't getting their cars serviced as often as they should, and older cars need a lot more looking after. Without a regular service, they are likely to breakdown, the AA say.

Parts of the car that need to be checked regularly include tyres, brake pads, clutches and fuel filters as these have seen the most increases in AA call-outs. Around 80 percent of breakdowns are fixed at the side of the road.

AA seeks reduction in Government tax on fuels

While there was a slight fall in fuel prices last month, the AA is calling on the Government to reduce the level of taxation on fuels which is continung to be a huge burden on individual motorists and on business.

They say it is in effect an anti-stimulus measure as it pushes up business costs and takes disposable income out of people's pockets.

Petrol now costs an average of 157.4 cent per litre, down 0.7 cent since May. Diesel prices also fell by less than a cent with the national average price now 148.0.

Because of high taxes imposed by the last, and present, government since 2008, we are now paying about 58 percent of the pump price for petrol in taxes, and 51 percent of the diesel price.

The AA say the Euro has weakened a little against the dollar which counts against us and goes some way towards off-setting falls in European prices for refined petrol and diesel.

AA Fuel Usage figures show if a car does 12,000 miles per year (19,200 kms) at a fuel consumption rate of 30 miles per gallon (9.42 litres per 100 kms), that car will use 150 litres of fuel per month. At current prices, that motorist will pay €236.10 a month for petrol of which €134.58 is tax. The figure for May was €237.15.

Conditions of Irish roads 'a worry'

Eight in 10 Irish motorists believe that the condition of Irish roads has worsened since last year, according to a recent AA poll, writes Trish Whelan.

The spend on road maintenance has been substantially reduced in the last few years.

"The roads, especially secondary roads, took a lot of damage in the exceptional freeze events of 2010. Not enough was done to rectify that afterwards and since then we have endured chronic under-funding of road maintenance."

The AA gets complaints and attends car breakdowns caused by potholes and dangerous road surfaces on a daily basis.

Uninsured drivers push up cost of insurance

More than a quarter of us have had our car damaged by an unidentified driver at some stage and almost seven percent have had to deal with the damage left by an uninsured driver, an AA Motor Insurance poll of over 9,800 people has found, writes Trish Whelan.

"It's frustrating when someone damages your car and doesn't own up. It might be in a supermarket car park or on the road side, or even while you are driving, and is really unfair," says Conor Faughnan of the AA.

The issue of uninsured driving is even more serious. "There is a reckless minority of drivers out there that are willing to take the risk and break the law by driving without insurance. That irresponsible minority adds up to €40 to the cost that honest motorists pay for their cover, and this problem gets worse in recessionary times."

When an uninsured driver causes damage, compensation is paid by the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland which acts as the insurance company and pays the cost. But we all pick up the tab for it and it's pushing up the price for the 95 percent of us who pay for motor insurance every year.

Over 80% of men can change a flat tyre

Women are more than three times less likely to change a flat tyre than men.

The claim is one of the results of an AA Membership survey of 16,865 people. Over 80 percent of men polled said that they would change a flat tyre themselves whilst just 26 percent of women said they'd do it.

Women are more than 2.5 times more likely than men to call the AA if they get a flat. Often men especially are reluctant to ask the AA to change a wheel.

About 14 percent of all rescue call outs are to motorists with a flat tyre. Very often if a tyre has been changed in a garage, the nuts will be machine tight and it is all but impossible even for a strong and fit guy to get them shifted. AA Patrols carry all the equipment needed and they can do it quite quickly.

It seems passers-by are more likely to help a female motorist with a flat tyre than male motorists.

The AA has found that more than half of those polled have had a puncture in the last two years.

Leave house and cars keys in safe place

Leaving your house or car keys in a place easily accessible to a burglar can be very costly. Just last week, Gardai arrested several burglars nicknamed the 'fishermen' who were famous for stealing car keys from unsuspecting motorists by using an extendable rod through the victim's letter box.  So don't leave your car keys on the hall table where they can be seen by prying eyes and 'fished' for.

In an AA Home Insurance poll of over 9,200 people, it was found that many people still leave their spare house key where burglars can find it; under the mat or plant pot, in the porch or the letter box or on the door frame.

Many admitted that they often leave out a key for their children who would be coming in late at night without one. Placing your keys in the dog's kennel or attaching it to the German Shepherd's collar were quite inventive suggestions.

In fact, 542 of those polled said they left their spare key in a garage or garden shed. It is far safer to leave a spare key with a trusted friend, relative or neighbour, and your cars keys out of sight.

AA expect slight fall in fuel prices

Fuel price down, a bitThe average price of petrol and diesel both fell slightly at the pumps in the last month, according to the latest survey of prices from AA Ireland, writes Trish Whelan.

Petrol now costs an average of 162.0 cent per litre, down 0.1 cent since March. Diesel fell more sharply, down 2.7 cent to an average of 153.8.

The AA are optimistic of a further slight fall in the region of 2 cents over the next week to ten days as oil and other commodities have fallen sharply on world markets in the last week or so and the Euro has also strengthened againss the US dollar.

The AA points out that while oil prices tend to grab people's attention, they are not as big a factor as local taxes in the price that Irish drivers pay. Through a combination of excise duties including the 'carbon tax' and VAT, over 57 percent of the price of both diesel and petrol is tax. A typical Irish car doing typical Irish mileage will use 1,800 litres of fuel annually or 150 litres per month*. At current prices, that means drivers will pay €243 this month for petrol of which €138.50 is tax which the AA say 'for a road-dependent island economy with relatively poor public transport, this is altogether too much. "It burdens ordinary people and it burdens business in an ongoing anti-stimulus effect."

Need for Dashboard cameras

Almost half of Irish motorists are strongly considering using dashboard cameras to protect themselves against bogus personal injury claims.

An AA Motor Insurance survey of almost 10,000 people reveals that more than 46 percent of people would consider using a dashboard camera to protect themselves in the event of a personal injury claim.

"There is no doubt that it is a driver's nightmare to be innocently involved in a minor collision only to find a major claim is being taken against you," says AA Ireland's Consumer Affairs Director Conor Faughnan.

AA Insurance included the question in its most recent poll of motorists. The reason so many dashboard cameras caught the footage of the meteor strike in Russia last February is because Russians have taken to the technology to protect themselves against bogus crash claims. Irish drivers think this is a good idea also.

According to data from the Personal Injuries Board, claims numbers increased by 5 percent last year and are up by a quarter since 2007. The AA say fraudulent and exaggerated claims will end up costing every motorist money in rising insurance costs if not controlled. Irish motorists also say dangerous and badly behaved drivers appear to have many people so infuriated that they want to capture it on film. Over 41 percent of those polled thought it would be useful to capture and report instances of dangerous driving.

29% of male drivers admit to 'near miss'

Some 29 percent of male drivers admit to having a near miss after seeing an attractive woman. It seems females also get distracted, but not by men ...

Men have a roving eye even while behind the wheel, an AA survey of 15,500 Irish motorists has found.

In asking drivers whether various roadside distractions had ever caused them to have a 'near miss' while driving, both genders were distracted in almost equal amounts by sights like advertising billboards, Garda checkpoints or traffic accidents. But when it comes to the distraction provided by an attractive member of the opposite sex, men are way out on their own!

Only 2.3 percent of females said they had been distracted by an attractive male. A whopping 28.8 percent of men said they had been distracted by an attractive female. Kilkenny drivers were tops for almost crashing their car when oogling an attractive woman.

Men overall were slightly more likely to be distracted by looking at a Garda checkpoint or the scene of a collision. They were also twice as likely to be distracted by taking a look at an eye-catching car.

Women prefer to look at roadside art, but one woman admitted to rear-ending another car as a result of admiring the outfit of another woman.