Women drivers are 47% more likely to fall victim to serious injury or death than men, according to a new analysis by Select Car Leasing. The study of accident data also showed the likelihood of a female sustaining a serious injury is 71% higher than a man. Research from the University of Virginia reported these stats in 2011 and reassessed them again in 2019. Shockingly, they found … [Read more...]
AFVs demand likely to soar
Over half of UK dealers (53%) plan to stock alternative fuel vehicles in the next five years, according to research from Close Brothers Motor Finance’s Dealer Satisfaction Survey. Positively, almost three in ten (29%) car dealers already stock AFVs. And for those who already have stock, two thirds (64%) plan to increase it and a quarter (24%) plan to maintain their current level. Just 2% of … [Read more...]
Tradelines 15 April
Ford is preparing for a $600M loss in the first three months of 2020 due to sales slowdown in the shadow of the global coronavirus. It’s already secured credit facilities and has a $30B reserve to cover most eventualities. New service and maintenance procedures at Arval UK have been adapted in a matter of days to keep essential fleets available 24/7 during the coronavirus crisis. Corrine … [Read more...]
Lockdown legalities for fleets & users
The handing back of company car and van keys or fobs to employers in order to avoid benefit-in-kind taxation during the coronavirus lockdown needs careful management, the Association of Fleet Professionals has warned. There remained both pertinent questions for HMRC around the issue and a range of potential practical problems to resolve, explained co-chair Caroline Sandall. She said, “During … [Read more...]
Call for rip off insurance renewals to be outlawed
Drivers want legal steps to be taken to put the brakes on rip-off car insurance renewal pricing. According to the GoCompare Car Insurance study, 4.7 million drivers3 were caught out by the auto-renewal trap - where their insurer auto-renews their policy for another year if they haven’t checked for a better deal. The practice costs motorists £1.2bn a year in higher … [Read more...]
Gravells Kia Narberth fuel NHS and local people
Gravells Kia Narberth has been supporting local NHS workers by loaning cars and transforming the dealership into a packing hub for food hampers. Local NHS worker, Kirsty John, was struggling to get to work after her car had broken down. Ian Gravell, General Manager of Gravells Kia Narberth, spotted this on Facebook and quickly got in touch to loan her a Kia Picanto – free of charge - so that she … [Read more...]
Safety checks to laid up vehicles
Drivers will need guidance on returning laid-up company cars to the road when the coronavirus crisis ends, says Meridian Vehicle Solutions. Phil Jerome, managing director at the medium-term rental specialist, said that some vehicles may not turn a wheel for months, depending on the length of the lockdown, and would need to be quite carefully inspected in a risk management context. “Even if the … [Read more...]
Newslines 11 April
The Covid-19 lockdown has reduced traffic on the roads and the number of accidents but has also brought an increase in speeding, according to data from My Policy Group, the telematics and data analytics business. This is a cause for concern as increasingly erratic driving behaviour could contribute to a rise in road traffic accidents, at a time when emergency services need to focus on fighting … [Read more...]
Newslines 10 April
Nissan wants $4.6 billion from major lenders to cushion the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s been hit by falling demand, management shake ups and now the global effects of the coronavirus on production lines after years of expansion. Worried executives in the German car industry want the Government to lift the lockdown on dealerships now stuffed with back orders and models piled up … [Read more...]
North Wales Fire Service shows Musso power
SsangYong Motors UK has partnered with North Wales Fire and Rescue Service to supply three award-winning SsangYong Musso pick-up trucks. North Wales Fire and Rescue Service protect a population of 678,461 people over an area of 2,400 square miles as well as hundreds of thousands of tourists and visitors who come to North Wales every year. Nick Laird, managing director of SsangYong Motors UK, … [Read more...]