A car trash waiting to happen
Messy motorists in the UK are on the road to ruin warns car insurance expert Confused.com. Research released today to launch its Spring car clean initiative reveals that unkept cars can lead to accidents. Especially for the campaign, Confused.com has teamed up with ‘The Only Way Is Essex' stars Jessica Wright, Nanny Pat and Sam Faiers for a rubbish-filled photo shoot, raising awareness of the risks we are taking in our cars.
Findings show that Brits are some of the muckiest motorists around, increasing the danger on UK roads. Almost a fifth of us (18%) have been involved in an accident caused by a cluttered car; half (50%) of car owners confess that they only clean the inside of their car once a year and 8% of Brits NEVER clean at all.
Empty cans, bottles and chocolate wrappers are the most common items of rubbish and although they're seemingly harmless objects, they pose a real danger to road users.
Gareth Kloet, head of car insurance at Confused.com says, "untidy cars are literally littered with potential hazards. Empty cans risk becoming lodged under drivers' control pedals and crisp packets blowing around in a moving vehicle can distract a driver's attention. We're encouraging Brits to Spring clean their cars and de-clutter. A clean car provides a safer driving environment, which benefits all UK motorists. The cost of meeting claims after an accident contributes to all our car insurance premiums, so decreasing accident numbers will save money as well as lives "
These ‘messy car accidents' are becoming a common occurrence. Examples include Gordon Malcolm, 34, from Oxford, who ended up crashing into a wall when his open window blew a crisp packet into his face. Alex Moger, 32, from London had a near miss with a truck when several empty cups and papers fell from the dashboard, distracting him to such an extent that he crossed into a lane of oncoming traffic. Maureen Jones, 55, from Surrey also ended up in an accident when her grandson's toy ended up by her feet.
Jessica Wright and Sam Faiers, faces of the Confused.com Spring car clean campaign, confess they're some of the 75% of people in the UK who need to clean their cars more often.
Nanny Pat says, "When Confused.com told me how messy cars can lead to accidents, I immediately thought of Mark and the girls' safety. Mark's always got leaflets and water bottles rolling about in his car. I'm very house proud and I think the same should apply for cars. People in Essex particularly look after their cars and I think the rest of the UK could learn a lot by following our example. It's important to keep your car tidy to avoid risks on the road."
To celebrate the first day of Spring, Confused.com has teamed up with Total UK to offer motorists a free Spring car clean. Visit confused.com/car-insurance/spring-clean-your-car to download a voucher for a free Spring car clean and get some Spring Car Clean tips from Nanny Pat.
