Some of the UK's most popular cars are increasingly becoming susceptible to keyless theft, says the consumer group Which? It looked at a German engineering report which identified the Fiesta, Golf, Qashqai and Focus were at risk from thieves using over the counter electronic devices to highjack key codes, enter a vehicle and sometimes drive it away. The German equivalent of the RAC and AA … [Read more...]
Welsh drivers in top UK rankings for being banned
Wales has some of the worst drivers in Britain with proportionally the highest disqualified for a variety of offences. The highest proportion of the UK’s disqualified drivers can be found in Scotland and Wales according to new data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). According to the figures, obtained by contact lens retailer Feel Good Contacts through a Freedom of … [Read more...]
Drivers ignoring car crime, say AA
Motorists are largely ignorant of car crime and leave themselves open to being robbed, according to a disturbing AA survey. It asked members about their knowledge of car theft and robberies and found a quarter did not consider it at all, a tenth believed modern cars are thief-proof, and 4% don’t lock cars. Yet police figures show that after years of decline, thefts of cars has jumped nearly … [Read more...]
Safety and training body backs speed clampdown this week
The UK’s biggest independent road safety charity has backed the National Police Chiefs Council's current crackdown on speeding on our roads – saying there is clear evidence that ‘speed kills.’ The NPCC is encouraging police forces around the country to highlight these dangers in their own areas in the two-week campaign, which started this week. Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy … [Read more...]
Newslines 7 January
A GT Sport Nav+ model has been added to the revised Mazda CX-5 range of 2WD and AWD models with petrol or diesel engines. All models now come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto together with revised suspension but the new trim includes real wood and satin chrome fascia highlights, new interior lights and 19-inch bright alloys. Almost one-in-three new cars sold in Norway last year was pure … [Read more...]
BMW drivers are UK’s worst, says insurer
GoCompare Car Insurance says BMW drivers are the worst in the UK. They are most likely to speed, run a red light or make an at-fault claim, according to data held by the insurer. A study by GoCompare Car Insurance has found that BMW drivers are the most likely to be convicted of an offence and cause a collision on the road. More than one in six BMW 4 series drivers (17.1%) have at least … [Read more...]
Newslines 17 December
Investigations during Tyre Safety Month revealed all used-tyre retailers were selling illegal and dangerous tyres. In total, 18 investigations were carried out involving 68 traders, all bar one of whom were supplying tyres which contravened the legislation governing their sale and more concerning, of the 129 tyres inspected, 75% were unsafe. Over 700 people from the automotive world … [Read more...]
Newslines 4 December
A special edition in the Isuzu D-Max range, the Utah V-Cross will be produced in a limited to a volume of 100 vehicles in total and will be available in both a manual and automatic transmission. It includes includes the following equipment over a standard double cab: Front Skirt, 18” V-Cross Alloy Wheels, Wireless Charger and Front Camera from £26,200 ex taxes. According to Freedom of … [Read more...]
‘Morning-after’ drink risk highest in rural Wales
Drivers are most likely to be caught drink-driving in mid and west Wales, where police topped the breath test table last year. As the countdown to Christmas begins, drivers are being warned they are nearly three times more likely to be breathalysed in December than a normal month and often in "morning after" roadside tests. Last year Police conducted 63,648 roadside breath tests in December … [Read more...]
The rise of the clones, national warning
Cases of car cloning in London have risen by 50 per cent in just one year, with concerns that similar levels of cloning may be rife across the rest of the UK, according to figures obtained by HonestJohn.co.uk. It analysed previously unseen Transport for London data for the Congestion Charge zone and found that the number of Penalty Charge Notices being cancelled due to car number being cloned … [Read more...]