Spring clean your car

With spring finally sprung, Churchill car insurance is urging motorists to have a clear out and clean up their cars.

Tony Chilcott, head of Churchill car insurance, comments: "We all carry around items that we do not need in the car all the time. Not only could it be an inconvenience if you were to breakdown or have an accident, the extra weight you are carrying around will use more fuel. With petrol prices hitting an all time high this will make every journey more expensive.

"Clutter can also be dangerous if it flies around and hits someone if the vehicle suddenly brakes. Rubbish on the floor such as bottles could roll under pedals, so make sure everything is secure that needs to be in the vehicle."

Salvage specialists at Churchill have found some unusual items left in vehicles when they have been recovered after an accident. Below are some examples:

ATM machine (the vehicle was stolen then involved in a robbery)
Prosthetic leg
Wedding ring
Monkey (child's toy)
Secret documents/dossier (from a diplomat's vehicle)
A week's worth of shopping, left in the vehicle for days
200 jars of jam (many broken)
Passport (two days before the insured's holiday)

Chilcott continues: "Leaving CDs in the car or other valuables could encourage opportunist thieves to break a window and take what is in view. As well as cleaning the outside of your car, wash your windows often to ensure clear visibility and make sure mirrors are put back in the correct position after cleaning."