Currently reading: Ingenie cuts young driver risks with new feedback scheme
New black box-based insurance company establishes a 'Driver Behaviour Unit' to support younger drivers and reduce the chance of serious accidents

Ingenie, an insurer that specialises in cover for young drivers aged 17 to 25, has devised a new way to cut potential risks posed by its less experienced drivers.

The firm has established a ‘Driver Behaviour Unit’ (DBU), which has reputedly reduced the number of dangerous driving incidents by 21 per cent. It’s staffed by people with psychology backgrounds and is designed to coach younger drivers to take fewer risks.

Each car insured on the scheme receives a telematics unit that monitors the driver’s behaviour. Poor driving triggers warning messages, and good driving grants discounts on insurance premiums.

The DBU monitors feedback from the telematics unit, looking for drivers who receive ‘highly dangerous driving’ warnings. Ingenie says that only one per cent of its drivers receive a ‘black’ message each month, but these drivers are three times more likely to have a crash. The DBU contacts these drivers and offers one-to-one coaching.

“The first thing we do is establish whether the driver is aware they’ve been driving dangerously,” says James Burton, one of the DBU analysts. “Secondly, we help them to recognise their behaviour is a problem – that it could seriously hurt or kill them or someone else, or that they could have their policy cancelled and become uninsurable. In many cases, they haven’t considered the consequences.

“We never lecture. We just help them to identify the motivations behind their behaviour and then encourage them to think how to make positive changes.”

Ingenie claims that in 90 per cent of cases, the drivers make a notable improvement within 30 days.

Richard King, Ingenie CEO, says: “A very small number need that extra bit of support. The DBU shows that it’s possible to save lives by nipping dangerous behaviour in the bud.”

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Add a comment…
the knome 30 October 2014

Want to cut down accidents and dangerous driving?

Don't waste money on black boxes, get a dash cam front and back, quite frank, I doubt a cyclist being side swiped would even show on a g-force meter, or cutting across lanes making others swerve, or hear road rage, or show your position on the road at all times.

If such a situation did come about with the cyclist as an example (and has many a time by police records), its not fast driving that causes it, but lack of observation or education about other road users.

These being offered are just snake oil. And seen promises galore attached to them.

And sadly the people buying into this will be the ones that actually care about what they are doing on the road, and the best route for them is to go to the Institute Of Advanced Motorists and get some quality training.

david RS 29 October 2014

Big Brother is the future of

Big Brother is the future of our cars.
As they say for our benefit.
Andrew 61 29 October 2014

I can understand 18-19-20 yr

I can understand 18-19-20 yr old's needing a 'helping hand' but drivers with 3-4-5 yrs experience and good driving record ? I am sure they will be declaring it a huge success at some point and saying how all drivers could benefit. No thanks, we don't want big brother sitting in the car.