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UK motorists spend a year of their life in stationary traffic…..

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:34:57 +0000

According to a study by continental tyres, will spend 58 working weeks in stationary traffic commuting to work. The study of 2,000 motorists for Continental Tyres established the routine and habits of commuters as well as their preferences. Tim Bailey, head of safety at Continental Tyres said: “People are clearly concerned about congestion and rising fuel costs, but using the car remains the preferred option for most. With 63 per cent of workers using their car on at least four of five days in the working week, planners and government need to recognise that the morning and evening rush-hour is going to be a feature of life in Britain for some time to come. For individuals it means frustration but for the economy as a whole it means lost productivity and increased emissions, so it remains a key issue to tackle.”

A substantial amount of time to take out of anyone’s life, and a massive potential loss to earnings and businesses. Many hold-ups on the road could easily be cured, with improvements to busy roundabouts and road junctions, where motorists are left frustrated every day, due to just volume of traffic.

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High costs forces motorists off the road…..

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 08:27:37 +0000

A survey from AXA insurance, has shown the 40% will use their car less in 2012, due to increased car costs. The forever rising costs of fuel and insurance, means that 1 in 13 are forced to give up driving, and many enjoy their driving much less because of its expense. Some motorists, may find no financial benefit from car ownership, perhaps hiring cars or taking taxi’s for their infrequent journeys.

Maybe to late for some, but things need to change to help the motorists, who are always on the sharp end of increased costs. The government needs to review their stance on fuel taxations, and also look at the current way that insurance companies operate.

Motorists worry over car crime!

admin — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:04:25 +0000

A survey of 2500 drivers recently commissioned by Admiral Insurance, has shown that three quarters worry about their vehicles being stolen or broken into. This is surprising considering that car crime is at a lower level now than it was ten years ago. Perhaps this heightened anxiety is due in part to the state of the country and economy, and their uncertain futures going forward.

Motorists expand a great deal of money on buying and running cars, so not understandable concerns. We can all do simple things to lessen the risk of car crime. Seems straightforward, but many cars may be stolen, if not locked or if the keys are left in the ignition, so remember to securely close windows and lock the vehicles. If you don’t leave valuables in the car, they won’t get stolen, so take all your electrical equipment with you.

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New survey reveals two thirds of drivers unsure of road signs…..

admin — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:48:39 +0000

New findings by oil firm Castrol show that many British motorists are not as clued in on road signs as they should be. Half surveyed did not know what give way signs meant, and a third admitted to following the car in front as they were not sure of what needed to be done. Additionally over half of those surveyed, said that they had not looked at their highway code since passing their theory test.

Its very worrying to think that many are not sure of what to do on the roads, especially in rights of way issues. There must be high numbers of crashes that can be avoided, saving lives and money. Many do not learn the highway code and its rules thoroughly, when learning to drive, just ‘doing enough to scrape a pass’. This lack of knowledge leads to firstly driving test fails, and a potential lack of safe and secure driving for years to come.

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BMW drivers are quick to get on the horn….

admin — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 21:46:07 +0000

A recent study of 2000 motorists by webuyanycar.com shows that 53% of BMW drivers are using their horn at least once a journey. Alternatively only 5% of Nissan drivers were likely to blast their horn unnecessarily. The main reasons reported for sounding the horn were vehicles pulling out in front of drivers and vehicles stationary at green traffic lights.

Motorists will sound their horns for many reasons, but if unsure when to honk, our friend the highway code gives us this advice from rule 112:

Use only while your vehicle is moving and you need to warn other road users of your presence. Never sound your horn aggressively. You MUST NOT use your horn

while stationary on the road
when driving in a built-up area between the hours of 11.30 pm and 7.00 am

except when another road user poses a danger.

Survey shows most drivers not sure of legal drink drive limit…..

admin — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:41:42 +0000

It has been reported by Confused.com that 51% of drivers are not aware of the legal alcohol limit when driving. Even with the legal levels when the Police take samples, the actual amount of alcohol consumed by each individual to safely drive varies a great deal due to sex, age, weight and recent food intakes. Worryingly 44% of people know someone who has been caught drink driving. When convicted of drink driving insuring a vehicle in the future, they will see premiums much increased, for many years after. Department of transport statistics show that 250 people were killed and 1230 injured in 2010 by drivers of the drink driving limit.

In some countries there is a zero figure for alcohol levels when driving, maybe we will find that level arrive here in the future. If not we need to educate drivers more, on the risks of drinking and driving, so that deaths and injuries from alcohol related crashes are reduced to zero.

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Unreliability is motorists biggest regret!

admin — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:26:54 +0000

Unreliability and breakdowns soon after purchase are the biggest regrets revealed by motorists in a recent survey by Manheim Auctions. Nearly a third of all respondents mentioned that their biggest regret was buying an unreliable car and 24% claimed their car broke down soon after they bought it. Nearly 15% of motorists regretted buying a car because they found it to be too expensive to run while 11% admitted that they paid too much for their car. Only 3% of motorists did not like the colour of the car they had bought, proving that colour choice is a key buying decision factor. Least worrying to motorists was the car’s ‘green’ credentials with just 2% concerned that it was not as environmentally friendly as they had thought at the time of purchase. More

Sat-navs falling out of favour with motorists!

admin — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:30:55 +0000

Growing numbers of motorists are abandoning satellite navigation systems and returning to traditional maps, a report said yesterday. Maps are favoured by 81 per cent of drivers, who believe they can find their way without the help of the dashboard gadgets. The report, for Kia Motors, found that 34 per cent of the 1,100 UK drivers surveyed admitted losing their way despite using a Satnav. Some drivers said they had abandoned the devices because they preferred to listen to music rather than Satnav instructions. Steve Kitson, of Kia Motors, said: ‘Only one-fifth of us claim to be confident enough to find our own way based on knowledge alone, and with three-quarters of Brits abandoning using navigation systems this festive season let’s hope an A-Z is on the Christmas list.’ More

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Fuel duty rises cause 1 in 5 to cut back on food!

admin — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:12:39 +0000

Two fuel duty rises next year, with VAT adding 8p to petrol and diesel pump prices, will force 18% of AA members to cut back on grocery shopping, AA research reveals. That rises to 23% among women. Retailers will be further hit by the 23% who will abandon or delay spending on household goods, home improvements and luxury items. That rises to more than a third among those aged 18 to 34 years, the group looking to set up home and start families. The hardest hit will be young drivers aged 18 to 24, with 28% cutting back on groceries and 36% who will ditch plans to buy furniture, home entertainment and other household goods in the near future. AA members in Wales look set to suffer most with 22% cutting back on groceries and 27% on household and luxury goods. They are followed closely by drivers in the East Midlands, respectively 21% and 25%. Overall, only 20% of AA members would be unaffected by the duty increases – 24% among top managers and professionals but falling to 15% among skilled and unskilled manual and service workers. More

Half of women say partners affect their driving

admin — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:17:41 +0000

Over half (53%) of women admit that having their partner in the car adversely affects their driving, making them feel stressed and nervous, according to new research.* Men are less likely to be affected by having their partner in the car (41%), with one in 10 saying they drive more carefully when their partner is in the car with them, according to a survey carried out for the UK’s largest insurer Aviva. However, the research also shows a similar number of men (9%) refuse to let their partner drive their car. Of these: A fifth (20%) say this is because they do not rate their partner’s driving abilities as highly as their own 26% believe their car is too powerful for their partner to drive 16% feel their partner suffers from a lack of confidence when driving. Despite men’s confidence in their own driving abilities, women do have some criticisms – 13% think their partner is overconfident on the roads while 10% say their partner drives too fast or recklessly. By comparison, 17% of men say they are a better driver than their partner and a further 16% do not think their partner is competent at parking. More

Survey highlights family members poor driving!

admin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 23:14:32 +0000

According to research by AA Driving School, half (51%) of drivers have a family member who drives too fast. A quarter (26%) said they have a colleague who does this. Over half (56%) said that they have a family member who is scared of driving on motorways, while a third (35%) said that they have a family member who drives whilst using a mobile phone, eating, shaving or doing make-up. Half of us think a family member drives too fast. A third of drivers say someone in their family drives whilst using a mobile phone, eating, shaving or doing make-up. More

1 in 10 attack others in road rage incidents!

admin — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:13:41 +0000

A new study into road rage has revealed Britain is a nation of irate motorists with nearly three quarters admitting they get angry with other motorists when they’re behind the wheel. Even more worrying, more than one in ten have followed another driver and a similar number have even attacked another driver as a result of road rage. The poll of 3,000 UK motorists by insurance specialist Admiral has revealed while 72% of drivers admit they feel road rage, more than three quarters (76%) act by shouting at other drivers and more than half (52%) make offensive gestures. It’s not just your stereotypical aggressive male drivers who see red behind the wheel. The results reveal road rage affects both genders but although women are more likely to feel angry when driving, it is men who are the most likely to shout or gesticulate at motorists who annoy them. More

Survey shows alarming increase in mobile distractions!

admin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 21:51:50 +0000

Research released today by Confused.com reveals that UK drivers prioritise their social lives before saving lives on the road. Almost half 40% (38.95%) of motorists check their phones whilst driving, with 27% admitting to logging onto Facebook behind the wheel. The car insurance expert also found that nearly half (45%) will not start their journey unless they can see their phone. A lethal combination considering that drivers are four times more likely to crash when using a mobile phone. The increasing popularity of Facebook and Twitter means that the ‘Twitch Factor’ is on the rise, with one fifth of motorists not being able to last more than 15 minutes without checking their phones. 15% of workaholic motorists take advantage of time stuck in traffic to catch up on their work calls or emails, and over one fifth (21%) update their status whilst caught behind a red light. More

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300,000 get others to take their penalty points!

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:24:03 +0000

A new AA survey shows that up to 300,000 drivers (mainly males) may have persuaded others to take their penalty points for speeding. But drivers who look for someone else to take the blame and the penalty points for a speeding offence face a one in eight chance that they will be reported to the police – 12% of AA members said that if asked, they would not only refuse to say they were driving at the time of the offence but would also report the point-swapping attempt to the police. More

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Daydreaming motorists give road safety concerns!

admin — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:20:38 +0000

As many as five million motorists suffer from “highway hypnosis” every day and can reach their destinations with no recollection of the journey they have taken. New research* from Halfords reveals more than a fifth of drivers (21%) switch to autopilot when on familiar routes, putting themselves and other road users at risk. Scientists say the problem, which is also known as “white line syndrome”, arises when those behind the wheel start day dreaming and are distracted by passengers, or start thinking about work and family problems or become engrossed in the radio. Dr Costas Karageorghis, Reader in Sport Psychology at Brunel University said: “It occurs when we become familiar with a route and there’s a lack of active processing, so the mind begins to drift, similar to the way in which we fall asleep.” One in 20 motorists (5%) involved in an accident have blamed it on a “loss of concentration”, according to the research. While there are no figures for the number of accidents caused by day dreaming, road safety experts consider driver fatigue a major factor in the 45,000 deaths and serious injuries to road users a year. More

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Children are major source of road rage!

admin — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 21:45:59 +0000

Back-seat squabbling, spilled drinks and “are we there yet?” can make driving with children particularly stressful for parents. Now a new survey has shown that little ones are the main cause of road rage. A third of men say they only get angry behind the wheel when their children are in the car, while one in four women admit to losing their cool on the school run. The online survey of 1,000 British drivers was conducted by used-car supermarket Carcraft. Comprehensive car insurance is especially important, as drivers need to protect themselves from the wrath of risky road rage drivers. Julia Dallimore, head of marketing at Carcraft, said: “The results of the survey weren’t entirely surprising as most parents will know that driving the kids can really drive mums and dads round the bend!” Psychologist Mike Guttridge said: “Having the kids in the car is distracting and, like being on the phone, may affect reaction times to stimulus on the roads. More

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One in seven Britons eat while driving!

admin — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 21:52:45 +0000

As many as 28% now grab food while travelling at least once a week, with almost half of 18-24-year-olds eating in their vehicles weekly, the poll by the Calor Gas company found. The practice is rarer for those over 55, with only 21% of this age group being dashboard diners. Those under 24 have the messiest cars, with around a third admitting to having food packaging and empty bottles littering the bottoms of their cars. More

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Mobile phone texters threaten road safety!

admin — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:36:52 +0000

Road safety charity Brake and Direct Line are warning of the danger of mobile phone addiction, as research out today reveals the shocking extent of driver distraction from texting, emailing and social networking. The survey revealed that nearly three in 10 drivers (28%) texts at the wheel and one in 13 (8%) do this at least once a week. One in 11 drivers (9%) surfs the web, emails, uses apps or social networking sites when driving. Texting has been found to make drivers 23 times more likely to cause a crash, potentially killing or maiming innocent road users. Using a phone to email or surf the web also causes serious distractions. In the United States, death from distracted driving has been increasing and researchers put this down to increases in drivers using smartphone technology. A recent Ofcom report warned of increasing levels of smartphone addiction in the UK by users who are unable to go without checking their phone even for short periods or through the night. Over a quarter of adults and nearly half of teenagers now own a smartphone and the volume of mobile data transferred over the UK’s mobile networks has increased forty-fold between 2007 and 2010. More

Regular servicing boost car values!

admin — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 19:42:46 +0000

Having your car regularly serviced can add as much as 26 per cent to its sell-on value, according to research. With an average used car selling for £5,500, having a fully-stamped service book could be worth up to £1,500, said car parts company Kwik Fit. The company’s research found that 34 per cent would not buy a car unless it had a full service history, with those over-65 most keen to insist on this. Londoners were prepared to pay the most for a fully-serviced car, followed by Scottish drivers. Those in North East, the West Midlands and Wales were the most relaxed about a vehicle’s service history. More

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Big rise in blind spot crashes!

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 20:51:34 +0000

An analysis of 50,000 crashes by Accident Exchange, a crash management company, has uncovered a 48 per cent rise between 2009 and 2011. In the majority of cases the collisions occur when drivers pull out unaware that that there is a car in their blind spot. Part of the problem has been caused by more stringent safety requirements imposed by the European Union. With cars now being built of lighter materials, they need to be reinforced to provide protection in the event of a crash.This has led to a thickening of the pillars, the metal structures between the front and back windows.. In 2005 the Driving Standards Agency banned the mini convertible from being used in tests after examiners complained about poor rear visibility. Related Articles Keeping track: Audi’s design blind spot 22 Dec 2001 Lorries to lose their blind spot 19 May 2007 A number of manufacturers are now devising new safety measures to minimise the problem. Volvo and Mercedes have blind spot cameras that flash a warning onto the car mirror if they detect another vehicle. Mercedes and Citroen have lane departure warning systems that shake the steering wheel if the car is drifting. “Visibility and awareness are key contributors to maintaining safety,” said Robert Gifford, Executive Director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety “All drivers need to be aware that every vehicle has its blind spots and that these will always be different. More

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Second hand car seats gives safety issues for children!

admin — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 19:02:28 +0000

Cash strapped parents could be putting their children’s safety at risk by buying second hand infant car seats, industry experts have warned. New figures show that purchases of pre-owned child travel seats are rising, as families struggle to cope with today’s difficult economic conditions. Car accessories retailer Halfords reports that 7% of its customers admit they have recently bought second hand car seats for their children, a rise of 2% compared to figures from its 2009 customer survey. This is despite the fact that it can be virtually impossible to tell how old a second hand child car seat is, if it has been involved in an accident, or even how to fit it, as most are rarely sold with the original fitting instructions or safety manuals. “A lot of wear-and-tear on a pre-owned child car seat may not be visible to the untrained eye and buckles and straps that look fine at first glance may actually be so damaged that they could fail during an accident,” warned Halfords Child Travel Expert Samantha Preece. More

Motorists unaware of ‘right to choose’ in crash repair claims!

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:08:43 +0000

A recent survey commissioned by Vauxhall has revealed that consumers are not aware of their rights when making an insurance repair claim, and are subsequently missing out on the service levels they expect. The survey found that nearly two thirds (63%) of policyholders think that their insurers determine where their vehicles would be repaired following an accident. Just 18% know that they themselves have the right to choose where their vehicles are repaired. Given the choice only 18% – coincidently – would take their vehicles to their insurer’s choice of bodyshop. Tony Neff, Vauxhall Accident Repair Channel Manager, said: “People don’t realise that they have the right to choose where they get their vehicles repaired when making an insurance claim, so many will feel obliged to go with their insurers’ recommendations. Many people do not read their terms and conditions, and so don’t receive the service they expect when they make a claim, which creates problems for both consumers and insurers alike.” More

Cameras’s cause more accidents than they stop!

admin — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:35:51 +0000

Many speed cameras have not cut accident rates and may even have increased them, figures reveal for the first time today. Statistics published by the Department for Transport show many cameras have done little or nothing to improve accident rates, but have proved highly effective in clocking up speeding fines. Only a small number of councils have agreed to publish the full data on each speed camera in their area. But ministers will today urge all councils to follow suit – saying motorists have a right to know whether local speed cameras are justified. Road safety minister Mike Penning said: ‘We are shining the light of transparency on the performance of speed cameras. ‘People want to know that if their tax money is being spent on speed cameras that they are actually making their roads safer, not just raising money. More

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Motorists drive through 278 red traffic lights a minute!

admin — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:58:24 +0000

Motorists are driving through 12 million red lights each month on British roads – the equivalent of running 278 red lights every minute, according to new research from Direct Line Car Insurance Over 5.2 million motorists (14%) admit that they drive through an average of two red traffic lights each month. Over 760,000 motorists (2%) habitually drive through red lights if they feel the road is clear and there is no traffic. This means that drivers risk clocking up over 36 million penalty points (three for each offence) and fines from fixed penalty notices totalling £721 million every month. Drivers in the West Midlands are the biggest risk takers when it comes to driving through red traffic signals. One in seven motorists (14%) in the region has driven through a red signal in the last month. Drivers in the East of England are the least likely (9%) to drive through red traffic signals. More

Beware of the amber gamblers!

admin — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 22:29:00 +0000

85% of drivers gamble amber lights

35% didn’t know it was an offence

88% 17 year olds have had an accident or near miss when ignoring the lights

A craze of risky amber gamblers is sweeping the nation as hasty drivers admit to breaking the law and steaming through traffic light signals because they haven‟t got time to stop, new research reveals. A poll of 3,000 motorists by Thrifty Car & Van Rental reveals a staggering eight out of ten (85%) drivers admit to gambling amber lights in an attempt to race through 2 the traffic, with nearly four out of ten (38%) saying they rarely stop if the lights are on amber. Sixteen per cent (16%) even confess that amber is like a green light to them. Worryingly more than one in ten (13%) motorists has had an accident or near miss as a result of belting through an amber signal. Half (50%) have been shouted at by their passenger and more than a quarter (26%) have been sworn or beeped at by other drivers. If a driver crosses a light on amber, it is an offence, unless they can show that it was unsafe to stop. For some time The Department for Transport has been researching the use of continuous flashing amber signals on traffic lights at quiet times, in a bid to ease traffic flow. More

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Cluttered dashboards cause vans and truckers to have near misses!

admin — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:42:15 +0000

A third of white van men and lorry drivers have admitted almost crashing upto 30 times in the past year because of dashboard clutter in their vehicles, according to a new survey issued by Autoglass® today. They have confessed to only narrowly avoiding accidents after having had their visibility impaired so much by the rubbish piling up in front of them. The poll found 33% of white van men and 34% of truck drivers had had between 11-30 near misses because their view had been obstructed – with 27% of WVM and 26% of truckers saying they had nearly crashed between 6-10 times. The survey of 2,000 drivers, carried out by the UK’s leading vehicle glass repair and replacement specialist, also revealed that more than a third of white van men (34%) have fast food packaging on their dashboards, nearly a quarter (24%) had cuddly toys or tacky accessories, 21% newspapers and 19% coffee cups. More

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Non prescription sun glasses could cause drivers problems!

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:53:15 +0000

According to a new survey, only 27 per cent of Britons own prescription sunglasses and opt for style over safety when they get behind the wheel in the sunshine, while 53 per cent of the 1,000 people interviewed admitted to not owning prescription sunglasses and wearing normal sunglasses to drive in. If drivers wear glasses or corrective lenses, the law requires that they wear them whenever they are driving. The DVLA requires motorists to be able to see from a distance of 20 metres, hence many motorists wear glasses for driving. However, fashionable sunglasses without prescription lenses can seriously affect vision, meaning increased risk. Further danger comes from the potential damage poor quality sunglasses can do to eyes. In the survey, 36 per cent of survey respondents don’t know if their sunglasses have UV filters. Without UV filters, the sun can potentially damage eyes and further risk is posed on the roads when bright sunshine obstructs vision. More

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Charlie and Ruby revealed as the UK’s most popular car names!

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:18:58 +0000

Research released today reveals over a quarter of UK motorists have a pet name for their beloved cars. The survey by car insurance experts Confused.com has identified the most popular car names as Charlie and Ruby. With nearly half of drivers describing their cars as ‘part of the family’, the Confused.com research reveals that 33% of car owners initiate a daily car-versation with their motors, talking to them not only about day-to-day matters and their frustrations on the road, but also about relationships and personal problems. The average UK motorist considers their car to be female, with a personality that is sensible (25%), cute (8%) or playful (7%). Findings also confirm that 16% of men see their cars as women, choosing words such as sexy (6%) and mischievous (5%) to describe the personality of their vehicles. More

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Survey shows what the average motorist does in a lifetime!

admin — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:16:55 +0000

The average motorist breaks the speed limit an astonishing 18,000 times during his or her lifetime, a report claims. The figure is released as the road safety charity Brake calls on drivers to slow down for children during the summer holidays. It wants motorists to drive at 20mph or below in built-up areas to help reduce road deaths. The report makes shocking reading for parents – four out of five of whom are already worried about letting their children play outside due to the threat of speeding traffic. It shows the average motorist will have 81 near misses and will be involved in up to 35 minor accidents such as bumps and scrapes. It also reveals the activities, apart from driving, which are carried out at the wheel. More

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Driving too fast causes most ‘carguments’!

admin — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 21:45:24 +0000

Driving too fast is the biggest cause of arguments between partners on car journeys, according to research by the online used car channel, Tesco Cars. In a survey conducted by the website, speeding (22%) was a bigger source of in-car spats than getting directions wrong (18%), tailgating (13%) and parking prowess (5%). Men and women alike admitted kicking up a fuss about their partners breaking the speed limit. Twenty one percent of female drivers cited it as the most likely thing to trigger a fight, compared with one in four men. More

Kids not impressed with parents driving!

admin — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 22:03:02 +0000

Nearly two-thirds of children admit their mums and dads are aggressive drivers, according to a poll by a leading tyres manufacturer. And the survey carried out for Continental tyres also revealed that 13 per cent are scared or embarrassed by their parents performance behind the wheel of a car, while 23 per cent of the children said that they had been in an accident with either mum or dad driving. Continental tyres surveyed 1,000 children between the ages of four and 16 and asked them to report what they had witnessed and to say how they felt about their parents driving – and the results might make mum and dad think twice about their behaviour. When 1,000 children between the ages of four and 16 were polled with 63 per cent revealling their parents shout at other road users and one in five reported that their ‘responsible adult’ used a mobile phone while driving despite this being banned in December 2003. More

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Buying a new car more important than finding a house!

admin — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:33:22 +0000

Buying a new car is one of the most significant purchases anyone can make but some motorists in NORTH WEST considered it more important than choosing a new house, picking their own children’s names and even deciding who to marry, according to a new study. On average local drivers take just under three months (2.74) to decide what new motor to buy, while almost a quarter (23.77%) need up to six months to choose before they commit to one. The national average is 2.94 months. One in nine NORTH WEST car owners confessed that they spent longer deciding their next choice of car, than they did choosing a new house. And more than one in ten (10.59%) said they spent more time picking a motor than they did deciding what names to call their own children. Meanwhile seven per cent of women from the NORTH WEST said they spent longer choosing a car than they did picking their wedding dress. More

Back seat drivers can cause major problems for drivers!

admin — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:21:31 +0000

Britain is turning into a nation of ‘Hyacinth Bouquet’ backseat drivers with one in seven motorists having a road accident or near miss caused by a distraction from a rear passenger, a new study reveals today. Partners are cited as the worst culprits for back seat comments, but women are revealed as being most likely to get angry at criticism of their driving. Many drivers – of both sexes – admit they are even reduced to tears by the comments from the back seat. But the study reveals that it is men who are most likely to take their eyes off the road to chat to passengers. The survey of more than 1,000 motorists found they are 60 per cent more likely to have a serious crash if driving with passengers. And young motorists are the most distracted with more than half taking their eyes off the road whilst driving to chat to passengers – the highest of any age group on the road. The ‘Driver Distraction’ study, commissioned by esure car insurance revealed that 14 per cent of motorists have had an accident or near miss due to being distracted by a back-seat driver. More

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Survey shows women drivers take more risks!

admin — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 21:04:58 +0000

Middle aged women are more likely to try to risk driving illegally through a level crossing than any other motorists, a study has found. They are more than twice as likely as young “boy racers” to jump the red lights or try to skip through the barriers as they come down. The trend was discovered by British Transport Police after the force sent out a marked van to monitor 43 crossings across south east England. Since January it has caught and prosecuted 1,131 motorists from offences including jumping the lights, driving through crossings as barriers come down and striking barriers. Women aged 50 to 65 accounted for 27 per cent of offences and men of the same age 19 per cent, meaning that middle aged motorists were responsible for nearly half the cases caught by the police van. Young male drivers aged 17-25, who normally are considered the most reckless behind the wheel, accounted for only eight per cent of those caught by the BTP van. More

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Not having correct change for parking costs each motorist £80 a year!

admin — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:37:12 +0000

You only want to park for a short period but you don’t have the right change for the pay and display machine – and so you pay more than necessary. Congratulations – you have just contributed to an astonishing £2.4billion a year overspend by the nation’s motorists, a survey has revealed. This equates to an average overpayment of £1.51 per driver per week – or nearly £80 a year – said the study by Direct Line. Typically, a motorist might only want a one-hour ticket for 60p, but ends up paying £1 for two hours instead because the only change to hand is a pound coin. More than half of drivers (56 per cent) regularly pay for more parking time than they need, said the insurer which questioned more than 1,300 motorists.” More

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Drivers could get back £60m through unfair parking ticket appeals!

Guys get stressed more in traffic jams!

admin — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:13:17 +0000

Female motorists are much better at coping with the stress of being caught up in a traffic jam than their male counterparts, according to a study by satnav firm TomTom. The study, which involved analysing the increase in stress chemicals in the saliva of motorists when stuck in heavy traffic, showed that the rise in men’s stress levels was seven times higher than a woman’s. Researchers found that stress levels rose 8.7% in women when caught up in a traffic jam, while they were up 60% in men. Two thirds of the women and half of the men who took part in the study reported not feeling stressed out at all after spending 20 minutes in heavy traffic, despite their chemical indicators shooting up. Nearly 50% of all adults commute to work by car on a daily basis and those who are constantly stuck behind the wheel are at a higher risk of developing stress-related health problems. More

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Survey shows young drivers think speeding is ok!

admin — Wed, 11 May 2011 22:58:55 +0000

Two out of five young drivers think it is all right to break the 30mph limit by 10mph or more, according to a survey. And 24% of these drivers, aged 16 to 21, see nothing wrong in drinking up to one and a half pints of beer, or equivalent alcohol, before taking to the wheel. The survey results were issued as a campaign to overhaul the learning-to-drive system was launched by road safety charity Brake, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the Co-operative Insurance Company. The launch of the campaign marked the start of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety. The poll of 500 people aged 16 to 21 showed that 9% of males in this age range thought it was all right to drink more than the equivalent of one and a half pints of beer before driving. Also, 58% of the young people polled reckoned young drivers behaved more dangerously while carrying young passengers’ More

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British pedestrians have forgotten how to cross the road safely!

admin — Fri, 06 May 2011 21:11:22 +0000

Stop, look and listen: the three words that used to be drilled in to children every time they cross the road are now ignored by almost two thirds (64 per cent) of British adults according to new research out today). The ‘Street Walk’ study, commissioned by Sheilas’ Wheels car insurance, shows that a ‘just-step-out’ generation has grown up in the UK with nearly half of adults (49 per cent) saying they do not listen before crossing the road, 46 per cent do not stop, while nearly a quarter (23 per cent) do not look both ways. This is even more alarming as 71 per cent of those polled did not know that traffic came from the right in the UK when crossing a road. The results of this road-blindness are alarming with one in ten Brits (nine per cent) saying they have come into contact with a moving vehicle while crossing the road while a quarter (25 per cent) have had a near miss. Eight per cent of Brits have had a collision with a bicycle while crossing the road and this rises in major cities with the highest bike collision rate in London (at 16 per cent.) More

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Drivers risk car safety overnight!

admin — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 11:46:45 +0000

Mobile phones, handbags and portable sat navs are among the most common items left overnight in a car, a survey has revealed. It found they leave more than £3 billion worth of belongings in their car overnight and yet half of drivers do not lock their car while they are sleeping. Other expensive items left in vehicles overnight include MP3 players, golf clubs, cameras and sunglasses, according to the research by Your Cover, part of Allianz Insurance. It also revealed some of the more unusual items left in cars, including a spare set of false teeth, air beds and vacuum cleaners. The most popular items that women keep in the car are make-up and spare shoes while for men it is sports and car equipment. One in three women confess they consider their cares to be a ‘dumping ground’ for things they did not want to keep in the house, compared to one in four men. More

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80% wound up by partner’s driving!

admin — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 20:12:45 +0000

Four in five motorists get annoyed by their partner’s in-car behaviour, a new poll has shown. The survey of 2,000 adults by Kwik Fit found that characteristics of motorists that especially irritated their partners include poor performance behind the wheel, impatience with other road users, tailgating and the speed of driving. The findings revealed that 15% of those surveyed said they were unhappy with their partner’s driving performance.A lack of patience with other road users emerged as the main complaint from women, with more than one in five (21%) saying they were upset about this. More

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Women are twice as likely to ask someone else to park for them!

New survey shows motorists motorway worries!

admin — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:13:25 +0000

A survey carried out by breakdown and road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist today revealed that UK motorists believe tailgating is the most serious offence committed on a motorway with 85% saying it causes highly dangerous situations. Driving whilst using your mobile phone came in a close second with 66% agreeing it would put lives at serious risk and nearly two thirds believe that driving in the middle lane when the left hand lane is empty is dangerous and should be more strictly enforced. Interestingly only 20% of those surveyed said that speeding should be more closely monitored and over half of drivers surveyed went as far to say that the national speed limit should actually be increased. This is not the result GEM wanted to hear, as it, and other road safety organisations are strongly against the government campaign to raise the motorway speed limit to 80 MPH by this summer. More and top10

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Many motorists unable to fill up with fuel or fluids!

admin — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 23:02:03 +0000

As a nation we’re highly dependent on our cars, but a staggering 30 per cent of UK drivers admit they don’t even know how to fill up with fuel and windscreen washer fluid. New research also reveals that millions don’t know what the warning lights on their dashboard mean – or even how to check their tyre tread depth. Kärcher, the pressure washer manufacturer, surveyed 2,000 people on their motoring knowledge and concluded that millions are risking their lives on a daily basis by failing to carry out even the most basic of car maintenance checks. “While the majority of us (71 per cent) believe we can capably fill up fuel and windscreen washer fluid, almost 30 per cent of us can’t and only a third of us would know how to charge the battery,” said a Kärcher spokesperson. “About the same number (38 per cent) don’t know how to replace their windscreen wipers and less than half are confident enough to check the tyre tread.” More

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Bad parking frustrates British drivers!

admin — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 22:03:40 +0000

Disgruntled motorists are venting their anger by blocking cars in, slashing tyres and damaging parked poorly vehicles, according to a new survey by webuyanycar.com. The poll of 3,000 people also found that many drivers leave notes on windscreens of offending vehicles, while a quarter said their response to poor parking has been a verbal attack directed at the offender. The most offensive of the faults is blocking access, followed by parking too close to another vehicle and “stealing” a spot from someone who has been waiting for it. According to the survey, other major annoyances include parking in spaces reserved for the disabled, on double yellow lines, on the pavement and outside someone else’s house. More

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Survey highlights problems of drivers falling asleep!

admin — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:53:30 +0000

Almost two thirds of drivers admit they have nodded off when at the wheel, putting themselves and other road users in danger, according to a new report from Halfords Autocentres. A study from the garage chain, comissioned because of increasing enquiries over the darker winter months into what drivers can do to stay more alert on the road, highlights the high number of motorists who regularly drive despite feeling sleepy. It comes as millions hit the highways of Britain this weekend returning home from a half term break or taking the opportunity to visit family and friends. According to the Department of Transport, 300 people a year are killed because a driver has fallen asleep at the wheel, which is 12% of all road traffic accidents deaths. One in five of all crashes are attributed to the same cause. Some 55% of those questioned for the survey said they had to stop and take a break to prevent themselves falling asleep while driving and two thirds admitted they had rushed from a holiday destination without having had a good night’s sleep to avoid traffic hold ups. Nearly four out of ten (37%) confessed to narrowly avoiding an accident when almost drifting off at the wheel. Some 14% felt the car had veered out of its lane, 11% had swerved violently, 7% had been forced to break to avoid an accident and one in 30 (3.2%) said they had come off the road. More
(AD ~ Fatigue can be a very big problem, which can lead to major problems. Quick stops to refresh are a must, if you are struggling to keep awake.)

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Footballers are top of the league for motoring convictions!

admin — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 23:13:37 +0000

Why do professional footballers often fall foul of the law when driving, while au pairs keep their licences clean? A new survey sheds some light. Professional footballers are the drivers most likely to commit offences such as speeding, running red lights and using a phone while driving, new research suggests. Almost a third of footballers have points on their licence, making them nearly two and half times more likely than the average motorist to be caught breaking the rules of the road, according to car insurers, elephant.co.uk. Riggers (workers who lift and shift heavy objects) come in at number two on the list, with 24.8 per cent having a licence endorsement. Politicians come in at number seven in the list of the 10 occupations most likely to have points on their licence. More than a fifth of politicians have motoring convictions, making them almost twice as likely as the average driver to have points. “Powerful cars are closely associated with the footballers’ lifestyle so perhaps for some of them the temptation to speed is simply too much,” said elephant.co.uk managing director, Brian Martin. “As for politicians, our research shows they are not above the law. Why so many have motoring convictions isn’t clear but many spend quite a lot of time on the road commuting from constituencies a long way from the seat of government. I think we can safely say driving isn’t an area where we should be looking to them for guidance.” More

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One in five neglect basic car maintenance!

admin — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:31:41 +0000

A survey has indicated that one in five drivers do not carry out regular basic checks on their vehicle, including ensuring tyre tread depth meets legal requirements. More than a fifth (21%) of the 1,610 adults polled claim that no-one performs any basic maintenance checks on their car on a monthly basis. Extrapolated across the entire UK population, this could equate to more than 7 million drivers, says Sainsbury’s Car Insurance, which is highlighting that the results of its survey come after one of the harshest winters for a generation. While 62% of people admitted neglecting to check their tyre tread depth – which must by law be 1.6mm across the majority of the tyre – a further 56% said they do not check the water coolant level, which is an essential inspection to prevent the car’s engine from overheating. One in five (19%) say the reason for this neglect is that they do not know how to carry out the check, which involves waiting for the engine to cool down before inspecting the usually semi-transparent bottle under the bonnet, and making sure it is filled to above the minimum level with coolant. In addition, only half of drivers check their front, rear and brake lights are working at least once a month, while a further 50% admitted to not checking their windscreen wipers are in working order. More

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‘Bat out of Hell’ voted most popular driving song!

admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:44:09 +0000

AA members, depressed by ever-increasing forecourt fuel prices, are escaping to a bygone era of happier and cheaper motoring by choosing ‘Bat out of Hell’ as their top tune for the road. ‘Bat out of Hell’ was the most popular choice with both men and women, and among the 35-44, 45-54 and 55-68 age groups. ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’ was the winner for the over 65s, and Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ topped the charts among the 18 to 24 and 25 to 34 groups. The top three overall ‘Bat out of Hell’, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘Dancing Queen’, were singularly unpopular among the youngest drivers, while ‘Don’t Stop Me Now ‘ was unloved by the over 65s and didn’t get a vote. The 18-24 year olds and 25-34 year olds were least likely to have nominated one of songs in the top 30 while the 45-54 year olds were most likely to have done so. Queen, ABBA, Dire Straits and Chris Rea (for his driving theme songs) all get two entries in the Top Thirty. More & The top 30

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British motorists spend more time driving than socailising!

admin — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 21:04:01 +0000

Despite rising petrol prices, the average British motorist now clocks up a record 7,413 miles per year – the equivalent of driving from London to Cape Town despite an all time high fuelling cost of £1,078.22, according to new research out today. The study by Sheilas’ Wheels car insurance found that motorists now spend longer behind the wheel than they do seeing family and friends. The average motorist spends three full years of their life driving(3) (519 hours per year), but less than two years of it socialising (237 hours per year). Motorists have become so reliant on their cars that most spend more than one working day (10 hours) every week driving – this compares to just 3.7 hours spent walking, 2.7 hours showering and a mere 4.6 hours socialising with friends and family. As the need for social, shopping and commuting mobility has increased, motorists now spend nearly two more days driving every year than they did ten years ago. The added burden of our increased driving is also making men far gloomier behind the wheel. According to the research, over half of men (54 per cent) said their driving was a means to an end and over a quarter (29 per cent) said they loath the daily commute. In contrast, 64 per cent of the female drivers polled said they enjoy driving and do not see it as a chore and almost a half (48 per cent) said they find it relaxing. More

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Popular car names revealed!

admin — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:37:40 +0000

A poll has revealed the attachment owners have towards their cars, with many drivers even christening their vehicles. A survey by webuyanycar.com showed 53% of drivers call their vehicles by name, with the most common ones being Betty, Betsy and Bess. Owners may be prepared to pay good car insurance for Bertie, Daisy, Bertha and Meg who are among the popular vehicle names, the poll of 3,000 people revealed, while Ford owners call their motors Harrison and Anna. Uncommon and unpredictable names have also been used, one driver dubbing his vehicle God because “it moves in mysterious ways”: another motorist named his car after Nigerian-born football player Efan Ekoku. While red and blue vehicles have more chance of being named, grey and green cars have a lower probability. More

UK drivers ‘most fuel-efficient’!

admin — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 21:23:21 +0000

British motorists are more fuel-efficient than drivers in Europe’s main motoring nations, a poll has shown. A continent-wide survey of more than 5,000 drivers by the Fiat motor company found that with a figure of 62% in possible fuel efficiency, British motorists beat drivers in Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Findings of the study, which used data from half a million European car journeys, revealed that the British are efficient gear shifters, with their driving style built around “exceptionally smooth and thoughtful handling of gears”. More