Tuesdays are the most dangerous day to drive cars, according to new data analysis by LeasePlan UK. In fact, statistical analysis by the vehicle management group has found that 18 per cent of accidents involving company cars, occur on the second day of the working week. The result? Damages from fault and non-fault incidents cost companies upwards of £2.8 million over the last year, just for this day alone.
On 23 January the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association published its members’ sales for the year 2016 and the last quarter of 2016.
Consumer tyres were up 2 per cent in 2016 – despite minor fluctuations during the third quarter and with a strong performance in the last quarter (+4%). OE consumer tyres sales followed the performance of new car registrations, albeit it more slowly, rising 3 per cent.
Following on from the publication of European tyre sales figures relating to car, truck and agricultural products sold in the first half of 2015, European tyre association ETRMA has also release two-wheel tyre demand data. In short, the performance of the two-wheel sector appears to be somewhere between the relative success of car and truck tyres, but not as bad as the declining agricultural tyre figures of the first report.
Increased demand for new car purchases has led to increased tyre demand across Europe, according to the latest data released by the European Tyre Manufacturer’s Association. The ETRMA statistics reveal that consumer OE tyre sales were up 12 per cent, while truck tyre OE was up a 21 per cent. The association linked this increase directly to new vehicle OE growth, which in the case of passenger cars, grew 14.6 per cent in the period.
The AA has welcomed the latest Department for Transport Think! campaign looking at the dangers of rural roads. Edmund King, AA president, said: “Many drivers, particularly young drivers, are under the miscomprehension that motorways are more dangerous than rural roads.”
Rural roads may look idyllic, but the latest Think! campaign from the Department for Transport says that they are deadlier than they look. Consider; three people die each day on average on rural roads and the number of people killed on country roads is nearly eleven times higher than on motorways. In addition, a quarter of drivers have had a near miss and one driver in twenty has had a collision on a country road.
Despite the ongoing political upheaval which has been plaguing the Thais since the start of 2014, replacement car tyre sales grew by 22 per cent in terms of unit volume in the first quarter of 2014 compared with the same quarter last year. This equates to some US$175 million in first three months of 2014.
The latest census data has revealed that the average distance travelled by commuters to work has increased in all English regions and Wales. The Office of National Statistics analysis of the 2011 Census shows that while those commuting regularly are averaging greater mileage, five per cent fewer workers made regular journeys to work than in 2001.
The latest batch of UK vehicle production statistics covering the month of November 2013 was released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) just before Christmas.
We have all heard that the average age of the population is getting older, but did you know that there are already 4 million over 70s on the roads currently? The statistics appear to show that this proportion is going up. According to the RAC Foundation, the number of people over 70 who hold valid driving licences passed four million for the first time in the last quarter.
While no-one is saying the climate is easy or the market is booming, Continental Tyre Group estimates that the worst is over and the UK market currently totals some 35 million passenger car tyres a years. Of course the fact that the same experts also suggest that around 10 per cent of this is made up of part worn sales remains problematic, but this is tempered by the fact that UK market has been leading Europe in terms of new car registrations recently, which all points to increased growth of large and higher performance sizes in the next two to three years. And what’s more Conti’s UK representatives suggest that the new European tyre label is already beginning to have an impact, despite other sources both agreeing and disagreeing with this position. Tyres & Accessories caught up with Continental’s passenger tyre segment brand manager (which includes car, 4×4 and van in the role’s remit) Peter Robb at the company’s annual trends briefing in central London on 6 December to find out more.
Since its launch in April, the number of quality garages that have become Approved Garages members has grown impressively to the current figure of more than 350. However to ensure that this momentum for growth is maintained, network manager Phil Seymour has arranged a series of roadshows to drive the message home. According to the organisation, the roadshows are free to garage owners and will allow those not yet part of the network to see for themselves the benefits it delivers.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has welcomed a fall in deaths on the road to the lowest number since records began, but raised concern at a rise in cyclist deaths. RoSPA is urging for greater provision in cyclist training, driver awareness and safer roads for cyclists following the publication of annual casualty statistics.
Michelin has launched its new Stealth and Rainforce ranges of windscreen wiper blades, which together offer replacement fitments for approximately 95 per cent of the cars on UK roads.
Breakdown statistics collected by Germany motorists’ organisation ADAC indicate that its crews were called out to 2.6 million breakdowns last year. In almost one-third of these cases, motorists summoned the ADAC because their car simply failed to start due to a flat or defective battery. Battery-related problems are the single most common cause of breakdowns, and have been so for a number of years now. But in future, vehicles will be able to identify a low battery and report this to drivers via a smartphone app.
