It may be coming to the end of the road next year, but the Ford Fiesta is the most stolen model, according to research from a car leasing company. Rivervale Leasing submitted a Freedom of Information request to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to find the most stolen car in 2022 in the UK as well as the total number of vehicles stolen. The top 15 cars stolen in … [Read more...]
Insurance Features
What is autonomous or not
Thatcham Research has revealed further insights from its Trust in Automation study - which polled 2,000 motorists in the US and 2,000 in the UK – and found a significant disconnect between attitudes and behaviours on either side of the Atlantic. American drivers are more likely to a see a benefit to self-driving or autonomous technology than British drivers: 81% versus 73% respectively. However, … [Read more...]
Drowsiness as dangerous as drunk and drugged drivers
It is common knowledge that drunk, drugged, or distracted drivers pose a danger to themselves and others on the road. But tired motorists, who tend to be overlooked when thinking about unsafe driving, are just as perilous. Indeed, collisions caused by drowsy drivers are 50% more likely to result in death or serious injuries. This is because, if dozing, the person at the wheel doesn’t have the … [Read more...]
Drivers in Wales face tougher breath testing regime
Drivers in Wales are being warned they are around two and a half times more likely to be breath tested this December than any other month. Analysis of Home Office data by personal breathalyser firm AlcoSense shows that in December last year, Welsh Police stopped 3,344 motorists suspected of drink driving. That compared with 1,375 in an average month. South Wales led the way with 1,165 tests, … [Read more...]
Tradelines 30 November
The excessive margins being taken on fuel by the UK’s four big supermarkets have been further called into question as the RAC discovered membership-only retailer Costco has reacted to the falling wholesale market by cutting its petrol by 8p a litre to 147.7p– 12p less than the average price of a litre bought at a supermarket and 14p lower than the UK average. The RAC – which earlier this week … [Read more...]
Newslines 28 November
Government plans that could see novice drivers being allowed to automatically drive lorries have been condemned by the UK’s leading independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart. A recent government consultation suggested that drivers who possess a category B car licence should be instantly entitled to a category C1 licence, which allows motorists to drive vehicles weighing up to 7.5 tonnes … [Read more...]
Newslines 22 November
Chinese car makers have Europe in their sights with highly specified, lower priced cars which come with the highest safety ratings as well such as the NIO ET7. Matthew Avery, director at Thatcham Research, a British car research centre funded by insurers and a Euro NCAP board member said the latest testing regimes had given top awards to a handful of Chinese makers looking to enter Europe … [Read more...]
Winter worries for motorists even before they drive
Winter is setting in with darker mornings and evenings, colder temperatures and the jolly festive period right around the corner. As exciting as the festive period is, wintery temperatures make driving conditions more dangerous and can lead to unsafe vehicles and habits which could result in punishment. To avoid any nasty fines, points on your licence or losing it altogether, the experts at … [Read more...]
Shocking car thieves considered by drivers
Nearly a third (31%) of drivers would challenge a thief trying to steal their car - men 41% and women 22% and rising to 35% of over 55s, compared to 26% of under 54s. More than one in ten (11%) would also like to take drastic action to protect their car, e.g., putting an electric shock device on the car door to stop thieves men 14% and women 8%. The Opinium survey of 2,000 UK drivers by … [Read more...]
Annual average car costs rise by £1,000
Annual average car costs have risen by almost £1,000 – an increase of around 20% – since the start of 2022. November’s Startline Used Car Tracker research suggests motorists' annual spending on fuel, insurance, servicing and car finance had risen by £80 a month. The biggest single increase was seen in fuel at £37 per month but insurance and motor car finance both rose by around £20 per … [Read more...]