Admiral research has revealed two thirds of motorists eat when behind the wheel despite most drivers thinking it's dangerous and should be illegal. Almost one in six (15 per cent) motorists have also crashed or had a near miss as a result of in-car eating.
The survey of 2,000 motorists by Admiral has shown that while two thirds of drivers have eaten when driving, for one in twelve it's commonplace with them doing so between five and ten times a week.
As winter drags on, the subject of potholes has been much in the news and a recent report from UK online motoring magazine Motortrades Insight makes gloomy reading – it reports that potholes are potentially damaging the finances of Britain’s hard-working, cash-strapped drivers – motorists who are being forced into balancing their finances to pay for additional car maintenance and repairs. Worse still is the potential hazard of trying to avoid them with drivers literally dicing with death on a daily basis.
A recent survey revealed two thirds of motorists have found themselves in a dangerous situation – swerving to avoid a pothole. Drivers in the West Midlands have been worst hit with 76 per cent swerving or braking suddenly to avoid the thousands of crumbling roads with estimates of 2.2 million potholes.
Ninety-one per cent of motorists do not trust the government to reinvest money made from tolls on new roads, according to a survey of more than 2,500 motorists, conducted by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).
Sixty per cent of motorists do not support toll roads, and seventy-nine per cent of motorists would not support the introduction of tolls on existing roads.
For the second consecutive year, Myers Industries Inc. was named one of America’s 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in an annual Forbes magazine survey. To determine the yearly rankings, according to Forbes, GMI Ratings provided the magazine with “in-depth quantitative and qualitative financial analysis, which looks beyond the raw data of companies’ income statements and balance sheets. Non-traditional risk measures are assessed to interpret the highest quality of corporate accounting transparency, solid corporate governance and management practices, lowest incidence of high-risk events, and appropriate board supervision.”
While many of us may have thought that price is the most important determining factor when it is time to visit a garage, the latest research from Halfords Autocentres suggests it is actually more about trust. The study among UK motorists found that, despite fuel and insurance prices driving up the cost of motoring, the vast majority of owners (62 per cent) value trust above all else.
Giti Tire has been named ‘Top Commercial Vehicle Tyre Brand’ in a countrywide study organised by China’s leading commercial vehicle magazine. Commercial Motor World’s survey involved live interviews with 110,000 participants over a six month period, covered 24 tyre brands and utilised the expertise of several leading Chinese universities. At its conclusion, Giti Tire won the Customer Satisfaction Award.
A survey from the AA has found that 30 per cent of motorists have experienced damage to their vehicles due to poor road surfaces. With a third of AA members reporting to have suffered damage to their cars as a result of pothole damage, Matthew Mycock, Autoglass managing director, has commented saying: "Cuts in the road maintenance programme will inevitably mean potholes go unfilled and cracks are left unprepared."
Franchised vehicle dealers believe there has been an overall improvement in the day to day relationship with their manufacturer. Sales incentive programmes and improved profitability boosted partnerships, according to the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) Dealer Attitude Survey Winter 2012/2013 results.
On 17 January battery specialist Johnson Controls unveiled a revitalisation of the Varta battery brand with a new logo, a new slogan, new product design and a completely revised online presence. The new look is being rolled out as part of the Europe-wide campaign with the aid of the “It all starts with Varta” strapline.
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Being ‘serviced’ by Daniel Craig is perhaps not everyone’s idea of a pleasant day, but it appears that quite a few female motorists wouldn’t mind having the James Bond star as their personal motor mechanic. This factoid emerged during a consumer survey Micheldever Tyre Services carried out for Valentine’s Day.
National Motorcycle Dealer Association is the new name for RMI motorcycle division, the trade association representing motorcycle dealers across the UK. Director Sue Robinson commented: "The UK motorcycle industry is evolving and modern motorcycle dealer's needs are changing. In an industry that has been hit hard by the recession it is more important than ever to have the support and guidance of a reputable trade body.
With temperatures sinking well below freezing and roads around the country dusted with snow, Michelin has found that many UK motorists are still resistant to fitting cold weather tyres to their vehicles. In a survey of motorists, the manufacturer found that 13 per cent of drivers claim not to know of winter tyres’ existence, while even those who may consider fitting cold weather tyres to their vehicle are put off by the cost and inconvenience of having to change their tyres.
A new competition promoting fleet driver safety has been launched today in a bid to find the UK's best Company Car Driver. The ‘Fleet Driver of the Year' award starts in earnest today, with the launch of the entry website at www.fdoty.com. This unique competition is being organised by vehicle leasing company ALD Automotive, in association with Fleet World magazine, and event partners Peak Performance and Toyota & Lexus Fleet Services.
The market for motorcycles in November shows a decline of 3.2 per cent in a year where the market has experienced a mere 0.1 per cent growth for the year to date.
Sue Robinson, director of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA)/Motorcycle Retailers Association (MRA) commented "Of particular concern is the slowdown in the 51-125cc commuter bike market that has performed throughout the year with an increase in the year to date of 9.3 per cent. However, in November the 51-125cc market experienced a downward fall of 6.8 per cent. This is a strong indication that economic pressures are affecting basic purchases of lower priced motorcycles that many consumers consider an essential form of commuter transport."
Driver performance management company GreenRoad has published the results from its "Fleet Leader 2013 Outlook" study. According to the survey, the majority of UK fleet leaders, 56 per cent, are 'cautiously optimistic' about 2013, only 12 per cent are 'very optimistic', and 22 per cent, identify themselves as 'neutral' about the year ahead. More than two-thirds, 67 per cent, expect the price of fuel to rise ‘modestly’ in 2013, and a clear majority, 84 per cent, cite 'reducing fleet fuel expenses' as a significant or very significant challenge.
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