A study carried out by esure car insurance has found that younger drivers are more likely to buy an environmentally friendly car than older drivers.
Over 80 percent of drivers under 25 would consider using a hybrid, electric or bio fuel car according to the esure survey results, reflecting their attitude to the future of the planet or perhaps their concern at the rising cost of fuel. In fact 20 percent of all drivers said they would think about moving to a more fuel efficient vehicle to save money.
The hybrid and electric cars are certainly cheaper to run than existing petrol models, though initial purchase cost is high. Car insurance premiums are also relatively high due to the cost of any repairs that may be needed. Being new and innovative means parts cost much more than regular models.
The largest insurer in the UK, Norwich Union, has suspended what had been described as a ground breaking form of car insurance that used a black box to track every journey.
The idea was to set premiums based on the risks faced by drivers. This would mean that drivers avoiding rush hour or late night driving would pay less for their car insurance. Norwich Union cited a slow take up of the idea and too few customers as the key factors for withdrawing the car insurance scheme.
There has also been a certain amount of mistrust from drivers regarding the black box. Having every journey monitored is not what Britain is about and there could be situations where a drivers Norwich Union car insurance policy could be negated if a vehicle was seen to be speeding at any time, or even have the data passed to the police. All in all most people feel the withdrawal of the black box idea is a good result and hope that it will not see the light of day again.
The RAC is advising UK drivers to make sure they check their tyres regularly to avoid problems.
Having asked drivers about tyres it seems that a number of them are unaware of legal requirements regarding tread and also the general condition of the tyre. The RAC survey found 45 percent of drivers did not know that the minimum tread depth of a tyre is 1.6 mm. For female drivers this went up to 60 percent being unaware of the figure.
Tyres can be forgotten about quite easily but they are very important for road safety, general performance and also fuel economy. The RAC would like drivers to check their tyre condition and pressures at least weekly to avoid having a problem on the road.
