Car insurance news
08/10/2008

Don't risk cheap cover, be nice to the lollipop

Your cheap car insurance can be affected by all sorts of things, particularly motoring offences, but had you ever thought how you might explain to your motor insurance company that you had been convicted of "lollipop rage"?

Now, lollipop ladies – and gents of course – across the UK are to be given ‘lolli-cams' that can catch on camera the bad behaviour of some motorists at school crossings.

Officially known as school crossing patrol officers, the lollipop person will hold their pole upside down when standing at the side of the road, then horizontally as they walk into the road. When stood in the road the pole is placed in an upright position and drivers are legally required to stop.

A driver disobeying an upright lollipop could face a £1,000 fine and three points on their licence. The transport department of the Local Government Association (LGA) estimates that there are 1,400 "lollipop rage" incidents yearly, with incidents ranging from failure to stop to actual bodily harm.

The cameras in the lollipop are activated when the holder touches the base of the pole to the ground. Cameras on either side of the lollipop face will then start recording the movements of the vehicles nearby, and the actions of drivers.

David Sparks, of the LGA, said of the lolli-cams, "They are fantastic. They are very effective in stopping motorists and they are also highlighting the problems of renegade drivers who are no longer going to get away with it."

A CoverGirl spokesperson commented, "Drivers who think they can get away with bad behaviour on the roads should think again once this initiative goes nationwide. Points on your licence are likely to severely affect your ability to get a cheap car insurance quote."