June 5, 2008
Britain a nation of “car” junkies

Leave a reply
As A Nation, we are just as car dependent to day as we were in the early 1990’s, according to a new research paper released by the RAC Foundation.
 
The study finds that those using public transport in the early 1990 are the only ones who have used it more since. People who have never used a bus have not been persuaded to give it a go. The number of people driving a car has risen steadily over this time and the number of frequent car drivers is also on the increase.
 
The Foundations Fact File on Car Dependence finds that over the period between 1993 and 2005.
 
  • The percentage of the population with a valid driving licence has risen from 67 to 72 per cent.
  • The total mileage driven has increased by 17 per cent across the country
  • There has only been a slow down in car usage in London since 2002
  • The number of women driving has risen rapidly from under 50 to over 60 per cent
  • The number of men driving has risen more slowly (75 to 80 per cent)
  • In London the proportion of frequent drivers has fluctuated around 80 per cent
  • Car use peaks amongst the 35-44 age groups
Bus usage in the UK (outside London) has declined by 13 per cent over the past ten years and only 19 per cent of people frequently use a bus; a figure which has hardly changed over the years. An increasing number of people never use the bus-currently standing at 50 per cent.
Comments(0)

May 28, 2008
Mobile phone use on the increase

Leave a reply
The number of drivers caught using a hand-held mobile phone has risen by almost a third, according to a report by the Ministry of Justice, despite a recent controversial government campaign warning drivers of the dangers. The figures show a dramatic increase in police taking action, having recently been granted greater powers to deal with offenders. Nearly 164,900 fixed penalty notices were issued to drivers caught using a hand-held mobile phone across England and Wales last year, resulting in a £60 fine and three points on their licence.
Head of road policing for the Association of Chief Police Officers, Chef Constable Steve Green, told BBC News he wanted the Government to push the message of road safety by better educating drivers.
Comments(0)

May 27, 2008
Passing the test at 25 leads to safer driving

Leave a reply
The ideal age to pass your driving test is 25 according to new research from the insurance company Admiral.
Admiral studied information from more than a million drivers to find the best age to pass the test. The research found that those who pass at the age of 25 go on to have the fewest accidents and motoring convictions.
The study found the top 20 areas in the UK with the highest average age passing the driving test of 21.9 were in London, with motorist in Wimborne, Dorset, having the lowest pass age at 19.4 years.
Comments(0)

May 22, 2008
Lies, damned lies and Insurance claims

Leave a reply
Motorinsurance.co.uk has compiled a list of the most bizarre claims received over the past year, including the following gems.
“The accident happened because I had one eye on the lorry in front, one eye on the pedestrian and the other on the car behind”
“I had a massive argument with my father, after which he deliberately drove into my parked car, and then drove off”
“I was coming to a slow stop on my drive, when the car suddenly bolted forward and crashed through my garage door”
“My car was stationary at the set of traffic lights, when a strong gust of wind pushed my car forward into the flow of traffic”
Comments(0)

May 15, 2008
Road Tax Excuses

Leave a reply

Here are the top five most ridiculous excuses motorists have given the DVLA for not having any car tax in the past year:

  • I gave the car to a man in the pub
  • My mate took my car for a test drive a year ago, and hasn’t brought it back yet
  • I did tick the box, but didn’t realise I had to actually send you the form
  • The weather’s been nice so I haven’t needed to use it
  • The letter advises me to ignore any correspondence

Do you know any lies, damned lies and tax excuses?

Comments(0)

May 12, 2008
Driving Test Marking System To Get Even Tougher

Leave a reply

A major change, heavily publicised in recent months, was that 15 driver errors in the practical driving test would result in a fail.
Research suggests that this change in the marking system, brought in on 4th May 1999, will lead to an extra 10,000 failures a year.
Proposals to decrease the 15 threshold to 12 could add to an extra 40,000 failures.
The Government is looking at the research which has shown that candidates who commit minor errors in the test are more likely to have accidents after they have passed. The date for reducing the pass mark from 15 to 12 has yet to be announced.

Comments(0)