Black Box Policy: How can I improve my score?

 

At WiseDriving, we reward good driving, so improving your driving score is key to lowering your premiums (or to keeping them low!).

To increase your driving score, ensure you drive in accordance with the law. Make sure to remain within the legal speed limit at all times, as this will raise your score. You should also review your journeys on a regular basis to help you identify where your driving has rated as good, and where it hasn’t. You can view your journeys and driving score via your customer dashboard whenever you like, which will help you to see where your driving may need improvement. If you require more information on improving your driving score, click on our hints and tips for more details. 

 

Speed

There is a strong correlation between speed and accidents, so slow down when driving. Going over the speed limit means you have less time to react to hazards, stopping distances are increased and if you do have an accident, the damage -  or worse, the injuries - will be more severe.

Remember: the speed limit is the maximum legal speed for that road. It doesn't necessarily mean it is safe to drive at that speed all the time or regardless of conditions. You can improve your speeding score by making sure you are within the speed limit for that road overall while also taking into account other factors, such as:

  • Whether the road layout or conditions present hazards, such as bends. Even if the road is a 60mph limit, it may not be safe to take a sharp bend at this speed.
  • Whether you are sharing the road with pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists. Reduce speed to give yourself enough time to look at what's around you and be able to react to anything unexpected.
  • Whether there are harsh or severe weather conditions. Stopping distances will be greater and you may have less control of the car so you will drive more safely if you slow down.
  • Whether it is dark - driving at night makes it more difficult to see other road users, so slowing down gives you more time to react to what's around you.

Watch our video for more handy tips! Watch now.

 

Acceleration

When it comes to acceleration, easy does it! It is widely accepted that many accidents are a result of dangerous or risky driving manoeuvres and driving aggressively. You can improve your acceleration score by increasing your speed gently and driving smoothly. This will not only improve your score but will also save you money on fuel. When you need to stop or slow down, decelerate smoothly to allow yourself more time to think about what's coming up on the road ahead.

You can also change gear earlier: try changing up at an engine speed of around 2,000 rpm in a diesel car or around 2,500 rpm in a petrol car. This will help you think about your speed as well as cutting your fuel bill.

We've got a handy video to help you! Watch now.

 

Braking

Don't leave braking to the last minute! Give yourself more time to think about what's coming up on the road ahead. The safest way to brake is early and lightly, then gradually brake more firmly until you stop.

Remember the 2 second rule. Think about how close you drive to the car in front of you. If you’re tailgating or having to constantly brake behind cars on motorways or dual carriageways, you may be driving too close. You will be a safer driver if you leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front so that you can stop safely if it suddenly stops or slows down. Allow at least a 2 second gap between you and the vehicle in front on motorways, dual carriageways and in tunnels where visibility is reduced.

Think about the weather conditions too. On wet roads, you should double the usual distance and even more so on icy or snow covered roads.

Why don't you watch our video on how to improve your braking score? Watch now.

 

Time and place

Night driving is defined as driving between the times of 11pm and 5am. We monitor your driving times so you can see how much driving you have done, split by day and night.

Why is monitoring your night time driving important? Only a quarter of all travel by car drivers is undertaken between the hours of 7pm and 8am, but a staggering 40 percent of fatal and serious injuries occur during this time. This indicates that driving at night is far more dangerous than during the day.

Our ability to perceive and judge distance is severely impaired in the dark. We might be able to see in limited light, but the combination of headlights and road lights, with the darkness beyond them, can cause trouble for our vision.

During winter, it may be dark even if you are driving outside of night time driving hours. You can improve how you drive by:

  • Allowing enough distance to stop. Use your headlights to help you. As a general rule, low beams should allow you to see up to 160 feet away, while high beams should illuminate about 500 feet in front of you.
  • Going easy on the dashboard lights. Make sure you dim your dashboard lights to a safe low level so you aren't dazzled by a bright interior against a dark road.
  • Keeping that screen clean - cleaning your windscreen of bugs and dirt will limit the glare from other headlights.

Don't forget - we've got a video to help you improve your score! Watch now.

Keywords: DBS, behaviours, save money, hints, tips, driving score