08 July 2021
A new survey of 14,719 drivers by the AA between June 8 – 16 2021 has found that a third of drivers are unsure as to what green number plates represent.
Whilst 63 per cent of respondents correctly answered that a green number plate indicates that the vehicle is a zero-emissions vehicle, 31 per cent were entirely stumped and 6 per cent gave an incorrect answer.
Misconceptions about green number plates included:
274 people said it meant the driver could park in green zones.
53 people thought the driver was an Irish National.
36 people said...
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05 July 2021
The RAC is predicting a second ‘staycation’ summer, as more than four-in-ten UK drivers reveal that they have plans for a staycation this summer.
In response to a survey in April 2021, 48 per cent of the public said that they would take a UK staycation if overseas travel is restricted. In comparison, only 13 per cent reported having plans for an overseas holiday this year.
A further 24 per cent planned to delay their overseas holiday until restrictions ease, and 16 per cent said that they would not take a holiday at all this year.
Most...
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30 June 2021
A recent survey of 1,500 British motorists by dash-cam manufacturer Nextbase, in partnership with road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, has found that the pandemic has had a negative effect on driving skills.
Key findings are as follows:
61% of UK drivers believe they are ‘COVID Drivers’ with car accidents increasing sharply by 22% over the late May Bank Holiday.
44% of drivers feel nervous about taking long-distance drives post-lockdown.
38% of those surveyed expect to see an increase in road rage due to a traffic increase post...
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29 June 2021
The Big Lemon London to Brighton Electric Vehicle Rally 2021 will be held for the first time on Sunday 18thJuly 2021, to “demonstrate and celebrate the rapid development of electric vehicles and renewable energy”.
The rally, sponsored by sustainable transport pioneer The Big Lemon, will start on the banks of the River Thames and finish on Brighton Beach. The route covers the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Sussex Weald and Ditchling Beacon and the highest point in East Sussex. You can find the full 59-mile...
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24 June 2021
The government has made changes to the rules on car insurance claims for whiplash due to the “unacceptably high” number of annual claims.
In a recent press release, the Ministry of Justice and The Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP announced that new reforms will create savings of £1.2 billion per year, which will be given back to drivers – giving them a saving of up to £35 each year on their car insurance.
The reforms, which include a new user-friendly online portal for road traffic accident claims under £5,000...
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23 June 2021
Project Endeavour, the UK’s first government-funded mobility research project for the demonstration of autonomous vehicles, has begun trials in Birmingham, following successful trials in Oxford.
A professional safety driver will be present in the autonomous vehicles during these trials and will be capable of resuming control in the event of an emergency.
The project’s final demonstration event will take place in Greenwich in August 2021.
A fleet of four vehicles will participate in the trial, fitted with Oxbotica’s autonomy...
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22 June 2021
Whilst ‘range anxiety’ is a key factor preventing many people from making the switch to an electric vehicle (EV), new figures suggest that range anxiety could actually be a myth, with the average EV covering 370 more miles each year than traditional petrol and diesel vehicles.
A recent poll of 7,000 motorists in the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Norway Sweden and Denmark by Nissan revealed that petrol and diesel drivers are travelling around 13,600km (8,451 miles) annually, compared with 14,200km (8,825 miles) travelled by EV...
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21 June 2021
Research suggests that four million drivers in England have fallen asleep whilst driving.
A survey of 1,000 drivers in the UK by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart found that one in ten have closed their eyes from tiredness whilst driving.
The same proportion admitted to hitting the rumble strip due to fatigue whilst driving and four in ten havescrambled to keep themselves awake by turning down the heating or opening a window.
One quarter of respondents said that they had pulled over into a rest stop when...
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18 June 2021
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea have introduced noise cameras to tackle the issue of antisocial supercar drivers illegally using Knightsbridge streets as ‘race tracks’ after receiving a dozen complaints about streets becoming a "magnet for Lamborghinis and Ferraris".
The cameras record offending vehicles exceeding a 74-decibel noise threshold and, in its first eleven days since being implemented, they have been activated more than 130 times in according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
So far, the loudest noise recorded...
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15 June 2021
The average age of cars on UK roads is 8.4 years old – the highest it has ever been since records began in the year 2000 – and there are almost 10 million vehicles built in 2008 and earlier still on the road.
This follows the drop in new car sales during 2020, with 29% less new cars appearing on UK roads in what the RAC called a 28-year low.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) says, “While this [the current age of UK cars] is testament to the durability and quality of modern vehicles, an ageing fleet risks...
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