It’s a fair question – how can a black box fitted into the car your child is driving, help to keep them safer on the road? Let’s be frank, it can’t actually drive the car, or pre-empt poor driving from other road users, but it absolutely can help establish the best driving habits within your young driver, thus encouraging them to act safely and responsibly when they’re out and about.

Black box insurance – also known as telematics – has a proven track record in reducing accidents involving young drivers*, so we thought we’d tell you about just how beneficial it could be for your son or daughter, as they embark on their driving life.

How does it work?

Put simply, the black box is connected behind the dashboard of the car, and whenever the car is driven the box will record data from that journey. With the Marmalade's Black Box Insurance, the black box is monitoring acceleration, braking, and average speed – so it’s definitely not a big brother-like device!

Journeys are scored based on the data received, and the safer the journey, the better the score! Over the course of the policy, these safe (marked as ‘green’) journeys all add up, and very often result in a lower renewal premium** to reflect how well the policy holder has been driving.

How does the black box actually make young drivers safer?

Yes - and here's how:

• When a driver is aware the fact that their driving is being monitored, they are likely to consciously attempt to drive better; None of us like being told we’re not doing something very well.
• Over time, those conscious actions become habits – good habits!
• A lower renewal price is a great incentive for safer and better driving.
• The more drivers there are on the roads with black boxes installed, the more drivers there are on the roads acting with safety and great skills at the forefront of their mindset!

Isn’t it restrictive though?

Nope! We certainly don’t believe that it has to be – why shouldn’t a young person be able to go out after 10pm? We champion young drivers to be the best possible versions of themselves, so we don’t enforce unnecessary rules and boundaries.

And my driving…?

If your child is insured to drive your car through Marmalade’s Named Young Driver Insurance, then yes, the black box will be there at all times. We won’t actually be checking on your driving, thanks to an app that your child uses to tell us when they’re behind the wheel. That doesn’t mean you can’t practise what you preach though.

* based on Marmalade Black Box Insurance policies incepted 1st October 2015 – 30th September 2017. 1 in 18 Marmalade drivers have an accident within 6 months of their policy start date, compared with 1 in 5 young drivers who have an accident in the first 6 months after passing their test, according to National Statistics

** Repeated unsafe driving could lead to a premium increase but 9 out of 10 Marmalade drivers have never had that problem.