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New research has revealed that more than half (54%) of motor insurance policy holders in the UK feel less safe when driving in the winter.
Despite this, research from Tyresafe found that almost a fifth of Brits don’t make any changes to their vehicle in order to help them cope with adverse driving conditions during the winter months.
There are many ways to make your journey a safe and pleasant one but by applying just a few simple changes, you can avoid being stranded by the roadside.
Firstly make sure your vehicle is up-to-date with its service and that you have antifreeze in the radiator. Antifreeze costs only a few pounds but can save you hundreds of pounds by stopping your engine from freezing. Try a mixture of half antifreeze and half water and this should give you protection down to very low temperatures.
Make sure your battery is reliable. If its not, change it. The average car battery lasts around five years but with an increased need for heating and windscreen wipers, your battery will have to work a lot harder. If you don’t need to use your electrics then try not to and be sure to turn off the rear window heating as soon as your rear window is clear.
Check your lights are clean and that they are all working. It’s always worth having a few spare bulbs in the car, just in case.
It’s important to make sure your tyres are in good condition too with at least 3mm of tread. Check your tyre pressure and make sure you have a car jack and a wheel brace in the car. It would also be worth learning how to change a wheel if you don’t already know how.
It’s not always possible, but by leaving 5 minutes to get the car prepared for your journey can be a real benefit. Giving your car a chance to warm up will not only make it run better but will also help clear your windscreen of any ice or snow, giving you good visibility on the road.
Don’t forget to keep your mobile phone fully charged and make sure you stay up-to-date with travel and weather news so you know exactly what to expect.
Highways Agency has loads more tips and advice on driving safely this winter.
November 12th, 2010
A father and son recently launched an iphone and an HD video camera into space using a weather balloon. After months of research and testing, they launched the balloon from Newburgh, New York and it floated up into the upper stratosphere, where they were able to film the earth below. It survived winds of 100mph and temperatures of -60 degrees, and when it eventually burst a parachute was deployed and it sank back down to earth. They then used the iPhone to track where it had landed and they found it only 30 miles from where they launched it.
Click here to take a look at the breathtaking video of their quest.
October 21st, 2010
Research from car manufacturer SEAT, has found that on average couples start arguing just 22 minutes into a car journey. Directions and getting lost are the biggest causes of disagreements followed by finding a parking spot, driving too quickly and driving too close to other cars.
Some arguments are so bad that one in ten people say they have led to them separating. Some stop the car and refuse to drive further with their partner in the car, and some partners get out of the car and choose to walk home. A SEAT spokesman said:
Many journeys can be stressful if you get caught up in traffic or can’t find your way. But it seems much of the stress is caused by our own partner when we are behind the wheel. An agitated driver is much more likely to lose concentration and have a prang.
September 29th, 2010
The cold winter has lead to a national windscreen shortage according to Auto Windscreens. Many windscreens have been damaged from loose gravel and potholes which were caused by the freezing weather earlier this year, and this has resulted in a huge demand for windscreen replacements.
Cars which are most affected by the shortage include Vauxhall Zafira, Astra, or Vectra, Volkswagen Passat or Golf and Audi A4.
Auto Windscreens have increased their production by 40% to help with the crises. Sales and Marketing Director, Nigel Davies, said:
It’s unusual to have a national shortage of windscreens and we’ve certainly not come across it before. Auto Windscreens is in the fortunate and unique position, however, that we can simply add another shift at our factory and increase production on popular windscreen models to meet demand and manage the delays.
May 18th, 2010
Swiftcover.com are promoting their ‘get a life’ campaign in a fantastic new sponsorship with Absolute Radio which launched last week Monday.
The sponsorship will include Absolute Radios exciting ‘One Last Dream’ competition, which gives listeners the opportunity to get back in touch with their long lost buddies and reunite their bands. The winning band will open the Isle of white festival!
Absolute Radio will create 60 second features to give listeners ideas on how they can ‘get a life’. The sponsorship will include a ‘rockumentary’ about the rock and roll lifestyle of bands. Live music content on Absolute Radio’s website will feature swiftcover.com branding and swiftcover.com pre-roll video’s will feature on Absolute Radio’s media player. swiftcover.com will also have a microsite hosted on www.absoluteradio.co.uk where people can upload photos and video images and enter exclusive online competitions.
So if you want to get more a life this year then listen to Absolute Radio and join in the fun!
May 10th, 2010
Swiftcover’s latest innovative iPhone application ‘Stuck’ has been a big hit with users of the Apple iPhone. Using geo-location technology to allow users to post their Twitter-style stucks whenever they are in a sticky situation, whether it be stuck in traffic, stuck in a meeting or even a having a song stuck in their head, however for two Swedish users, ‘Stuck’ was there to help them when they really needed it.
Nico Vittorio and Paul Alonso were hiking in the Sarek National Park region of Sweden when they became separated. Although they were in contact and knew they were close-by, because of the heavy snow there were no landmarks, making it impossible to identify a meeting point. After recently installing the Stuck iPhone application, the pair used the ‘Near-Me’ function, which helps flag up other Stuck users nearby.
Using the application solved the two friend’s problem and helped track each others paths reuniting them without trouble.
Swiftcover’s Stuck iPhone Application can be used for the less ‘James Bond’ style situations. The app has a range of pre-set emotions that are quick to choose and upload, providing the perfect Stuck for every situation.
The iPhone application was developed by swiftcover.com’s innovation team and has already been downloaded by 10,000 iphone users worldwide since it was launched in January 2010. Swiftcover’s head of innovation, Ambarish Mitra, explains: “swiftcover.com is an innovator – we threw out the rule book and started from scratch when we created the UK’s first fully online insurer – so we wanted our first mobile phone app to embrace that same spirit of innovation and something that would be of use to everyone, not just swiftcover.com car insurance customers.
Future developments for the application include one-to-one communication, linking individual Stucks to events, so people posting would be alerted to activities such as concerts or sales taking place nearby, one-to-one communication, as well as providing users with info on local amenities, like garages or hotels, perfect for drivers who find themselves Stuck while driving.
For more information on Stuck and to download the app, visit www.swiftcover.com/stuck-iphone-app/
March 30th, 2010
Iggy Pop and the stooges were entered into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame on Monday night. The award took place in New York, where Iggy took to the stage and accepted the honour saying:
It’s a big industry. If it makes the right decisions, it will stay an industry. Music is life, and life is not a business.
Iggy and the stooges then performed ‘I wanna be your dog’ which according to the Mail Online was an energetic performance, which was accompanied by inductor Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Abba and Genesis were among the other groups who were also inducted into the hall of fame.
Iggy and the stooges have made a comeback this year and Iggy Pop also recently fronted swiftcover.com’s ‘Get A Life’ advertising campaign, which helped the insurer increase sales by a third in 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKCmQe9vaNI
March 18th, 2010
With the majority of Britain proven to be image conscious, it’s no surprise that the popularity for today’s hot hatches is increasing. But what car insurance customers are unaware of, is the fact that having one of these sporty cars could increase your motor insurance premiums.
In recent insurance research done by Swiftcover found that sometimes it doesn’t matter how old motorists are, or how much road experience they have, it could still mean forking out a hefty amount for car insurance on a more luxurious hatchback.
The research showed that even a 30 year old man, with over 5 years no claims bonus could end up getting a car insurance quote of over £1000 on a Volkswagen Golf GTI, whereas if he were to opt for VW’s calmer version of the Golf hatchback, he could be saving over £500 on his annual premium.
It is mainly younger drivers who are tempted for the larger engine and sportier car, but car insurance claims figures show that these vehicles are more likely to be involved in an accident, cost more to repair and also appeal more to thieves.
swiftcover.com’s figures reveal the extra cost of opting for a hot hatch.
| ‘Hot Hatch’ |
Standard model |
Extra cost for a ‘hot hatch’ |
Volkswagen Golf GTI
£1,002 |
Volkswagen Golf S
£476 |
£526 |
Honda Civic Type R
£974 |
Honda Civic Type s
£507 |
£467 |
Seat Leon Cupra
£1,031 |
Seat Leon S
£485 |
£546 |
All quotes from swiftcover.com and are for a 30 year old male business professional living in Birmingham with five years no claims bonus and a £250 voluntary excess insuring 2010 models.
So, although having a hot hatch looks great, it could end costing more in the long run.
March 14th, 2010
Toyota’s recent recall of vehicles has raised concerns amongst Toyota drivers about whether it is safe to drive their cars, and some are uncertain if their car insurance would cover them in the event of an accident.
Toyota recalled six models of vehicles because of problems with the accelerator pedals. The models affected are the IQ, Aygo, Yaris, Auris, Corolla, Avensis and Verso. The Times Online reported that the recall has cost Toyota $2billion which includes cars in Europe, China and the US. They also reported that drivers will have to wait another week before the new parts arrive in the UK, and repairs are only due to start on the 10th February.
More than 10 000 people in the UK have phoned Toyota with concerns, and to find out whether they should continue driving their cars. If you are concerned about your car and whether you will be covered if you have an accident, then it’s probably best to contact your insurance company to check.
If you are a UK Toyota customer and unsure whether your car is affected, then click here for more information.
February 5th, 2010
Over the past few weeks the snow and freezing weather conditions has resulted in flight disruptions, which affected flight arrivals and caused delays to departures.
Flights from Gatwick, Southampton, Luton, Birmingham, Bristol and Exeter airports and passengers at Cardiff, Heathrow, Manchester and Stansted were all affected. The daily mail reported that some passengers were told to leave terminal five without their luggage due to flight delays, and it had been recommended that passengers contact the airline before going to the airport.
If you are planning on travelling make sure you are prepared and have adequate travel insurance, you never know when you might need it. Click here for the latest travel news.
January 14th, 2010
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