by Miles Brignall II Trucks are to be given a
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security rating in a league table of the most and least vulnerable vehicles.
The Home Office has asked the Motor Insurance Research Centre at Thatcham to produce the table, similar to that already available for cars. By the end of 1997 there should be a table for vans, with tables for bigger commercials following soon after.
The centre's principal research engineer, Chris McCartney, says he is recruiting staff for the latest project and a meeting with the major truck manufacturers is planned for May.
Tony Harris, security and risk manager at Whitbread (Brewing Group) welcomes the news: "Hopefully this will put pressure on the manufacturers to improve truck security and it will allow buyers to see just how safe the truck they are buying is."
Insurers might look to the table to help assess premiums, but stress that many factors influence rates.
Derek Forgan, commercial motor manager at General Accident, says: "We would obviously bear it in mind. But the type of vehicle is only one factor in determining the risk of theft, and theft is only one factor in determining the premium."
Truck manufacturers are already planning to improve security by fitting immobilisers as standard in the UK (CM 6-12 April).
The need for more security measures was underlined by a recent RAC report which found that more than 10 trucks are being stolen each day.