It certainly seems when it comes to car crashes, if there are no injuries the next most important thing to be decided is … who was to blame?

Shaun Cronin, IAM RoadSmart regional service delivery manager (Southern) is a fan of that old rocker Ozzy Osbourne and we all know he really is ‘The Prince of Darkness’. However, back when cars were simple and motorcycles leaked oil, there was another man often referred to by this tag - way before black leather and long hair for men was considered in vogue.

Until comparatively recently, buying a diesel car was seen as good for the environment. Choosing diesel was encouraged by government through tax policies and promoted by car makers because it gave a relatively easy route to achieving the carbon reduction targets set by the EU.

In 1984 William Smith, Wilts and Bath Advanced Motorcyclists (WaBAM) advanced rider, as a 30-something callow young man bought a “hot hatch.” and thought he was a brilliant driver, and wanted an IAM RoadSmart red motorist’s badge on the grill, to prove it. Here's his story in our latest blog.

Every year IAM RoadSmart comments on the annual casualty statistics when they are published (usually in June), being pleased when the numbers fall and concerned when they stagnate. This year the publication has been delayed until the full tables are published in the autumn. That makes me suspect the news is not good, but that’s just speculation.