Motoring Newsbriefs

Dec 1 2009 Maurice Glover

White van man watchA LITTLE black box could soon be turning the knave of Britain's highways into the king of the road.

With a new recoding device to watch over every move he makes, the dreaded white van man is set to be transformed into a driver who is kind, considerate and environmentally friendly.

Called Driver DNA, the device can be attached to any vehicle to record where it is being used and how well it is being operated. The diagnostic information it collects is then made available to company bosses.

Telematics firm Trimble MRM claims the move to monitor bad driving habits should play a major part in improving safety on the roads and says the system is already in use with companies including British Gas and British Telecom.

Says Trimble managing director Andrew Yeoman: 'Driver DNA uses diagnostics to ensure workforces are driving carefully and helps save companies money by running teams more effectively. Improving road safety is paramount. If we can help drivers identify what they need to change and help prevent accidents then we are proud and pleased to do so,'

According to research findings, drivers of white vans are among the most feared road users and statistics released last year by the Institute of Transport Management showed one in three company drivers have a crash annually. The figure was even higher for those driving more than 12,000 miles a year.

Information from the Driver DNA black box also helps to reduce CO2 emissions by spotting faults with vehicles and making sure they are running efficiently.

Turbos boost repair costsONCE the badge of the boy racer, turbos will be fitted to more than 70 per cent of new cars in the UK within the next 10 years, experts predict - and that could mean expensive problems for owners.

According to data from Warranty Direct, turbocharged cars are more likely to break down than their non-turbo rivals, leaving owners with repair bills as high as £2,500.

Analysis of claims handled by the company shows the average repair cost of a turbo engine stands at £874.82, almost half as much again as the average engine failure cost of £619. In the worst cases, the figure has been as high as £2,484.67.

Despite the rise in petrol cars with turbos, diesel cars still account for more than 85 per cent of all turbo failures handled by the company. Meanwhile, overall, turbo cars are generally more likely to fail and more expensive to fix.

Duncan McClure Fisher of Warranty Direct warns: 'The vast majority of owners probably don't even realise their vehicle is equipped with a turbocharger. As they become even more prevalent, it's important that motorists make sure they have adequate protection, should the unwanted happen.'

Never on SundaySUNDAY is the most dangerous day of the week to ride a motorcycle.

Two-wheelers are involved in 20 per cent more accidents on the Sabbath, according to latest research.

'The fact is that more leisure riders are on the roads on Sundays and they tend to travel much longer distances than the average weekday rider,' says Institute of Advanced Motorists spokesman Neil Greig.

The research also shows that half of rider fatalities happen when the rider leaves the road and hits a roadside object, such as a crash barrier, road sign or tree. According to the report most fatal crashes occur on bigger bikes with over 60 per cent of bikes involved being over 500cc.

Younger riders have more crashes than those in their mid 30s and 40s and, while riders under 30 represent 20 per cent of all motorcyclists, they also account for half of all fatal and serious casualties.

'Safe riders are made, not born. Courses such as those led by the IAM expose them to experienced riders who can show them where the risks lie,' said Mr Greig.

Transport clean-upA VOLUNTARY road transport plan is to cut fuel use and tailpipe exhaust emissions by 30 per cent over the next 20 years.

The International Road Transport Union's general assembly has voted unanimously for the plan, which will calculate the reductions in terms of transport efficiency starting from 2007.

'While governments struggle - most likely to no avail - to forge a consensus and limit CO2 emissions as a follow-up to the Kyoto Protocol in Copenhagen in December, our industry is committed to providing better and cleaner road transport,' says IRTU president Janusz Lacny.

Mercedes joins TyreSafeMERCEDES-Benz has become the latest vehicle manufacturer to join tyre safety organisation, TyreSafe. The company will run a series of tyre safety initiatives across its retailer network and fleet customers, highlighting the important role that tyres play in road safety, which will include a cold weather tyre programme for this winter.

As well as supporting and participating in TyreSafe's national campaigns, Mercedes-Benz will provide valuable experience and input into the organisation, helping it develop further and reduce the number of accidents and fatalities caused by defective tyres, says the organisation.

US green award for PriusTHE latest Toyota Prius has won a major environmental award in the USA, being named Car of the Year by WhatGreenCar magazine.

The 2010 Prius was chosen from a short-list of ten of the lowest-polluting cars available on the US market and came out ahead of the the Honda Insight hybrid and the Lexus 250h hybrid. Only one British car was shortlisted by the American magazine - the petrol-powered Mini Cooper, which was rated seventh greenest of the ten finallists.