New Report Seeks to Answer the Question, “Why do Accidents Happen?”

If there are two questions that everyone from police to policy makers have asked over the last one hundred or so years of motoring, it’s these: “How do accidents happen?” and “How can we stop them from happening?”

With regards to the first, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) in the UK has analysed some 700,000 fatal road accidents that occurred over a four year period between 2005 and 2009.

Their so-called Licensed to Skill report aims to identify the leading causes of automotive accidents in the UK, the results of which may surprise you. License to Skill project manager Neil Greig explains:

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Cadillac Escalade Remains the No1 Target for Car Thieves in the USA

For years, Caddy’s big SUV, the Escalade is the number one target of thieves in the States and this hasn't changed in the latest study from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI).

According to the latest data for 2008-10 models from HLDI, the Escalade is more than six times as likely to be stolen by thieves compared to the average vehicle.

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US DoT to Launch Vehicle-Exchanging Info Project in 2012

The US Department of Transportation is planning to launch a real-world test of vehicles that can “communicate” with each other next year in the vicinity of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The 3,000 cars equipped with the Denso-developed technology will help the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration assess whether it should make such systems mandatory in future vehicles in order to avoid accidents. The decision is not expected before 2013.

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Study: Car Parts Most Likely to Fail During the Summer

UK insurer specialist Warranty Direct revealed data showing which car parts fail more often in the summer months between June and August. According to the study, Britain's summer climate contributes to the quicker deterioration of axle and suspension parts, that account for more than 25% of the insurance company claims. Read more »

Polk Reports BMW, Mercedes and Lexus Losing Large Luxury Sedan Market Share to Audi, Jaguar and Porsche

In the large luxury sedan stakes, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus have been the long-time leaders. Five years ago, each brand’s flagship model – the 7-Series, the S-Class and the LS – collectively owned 82% of the U.S. market and Merc’s offering could claim 30% of that.

Between June 2010 and May of this year, however, their collective market share has dwindled some 68% while that of three newer models have grown.

There’s the Audi A8, up 5% and the Jaguar XJ, up 12%. Both of these models could claim next to nothing of the market when they were launched but now look at them.

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Analysts Lower Forecasts for 2011-2013 US Sales

Massachusetts-based research company IHS Automotive has lowered its estimate for US light vehicles sales in 2011 by 200,000 units, to 12.5 million. Analyst Rebecca Lindland commented that IHS has also significantly trimmed its forecast for 2012 sales, from 14.7 to 13.5 million vehicles, as well as 2013, from 15.5 to 15 million. Read more »

AAA Survey Reveals 25% of Americans Couldn’t Afford a US$2,000 Car Repair Bill

The former American Automobile Association, now known by its acronym AAA, is probably the most recognisable organisation of its type in the world.

And with some 52 million members, it’s also one of the world’s largest if not the largest automobile associations in the world.

Suffice to say, when the AAA speaks, the world listens. In a recent telephone survey of 1,009 adults in the continental United States, the AAA found that 12.5% couldn’t cover a US$1,000 (€701) car repair bill and 25% couldn’t cover US$2,000 (€1,402) car repair bill.

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BMW Group Publishes Results of first Mini E Trial Project

We all know about the merits of electric vehicles but have you ever wondered how it would really be like owning one and driving it on a daily basis?

In collaboration with the British government, the BMW Group launched a trial program in the UK with 40 pure-electric MINI E cars given to 62 citizens and 72 pool users over two six-month periods, from December 2009 until March 2011.

Now that the trial period is over, MINI and the Oxford Brookes University, which undertook the research, have released their findings.

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More than 7 Million British Drivers Have Raced to Beat their GPS' Estimated Arrival Time

In the 1970s, the must-have automotive accessory was the fuzzy dice. Forty years later, it is the in-car GPS / satellite navigation system. It has as effectively replaced the seat pocket map book as the Apple iPod has replaced the Sony Discman.

Now, GPS / sat nav users are playing a potentially dangerous new game whereby they attempt to “beat” their portable / in-dash unit’s estimated time of arrival. It’s a game where things like road rules, speed limits and other drivers are mere impediments to “winning” the game.

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And the Most-Frequently Stolen Car in the US is…

Honda may now be caught in war of words with Consumer Reports over the results of its test drive of the 2012 Civic sedan, but the Japanese firm's models continue to be preferred by a…certain type of drivers.

According to the latest findings of The National Insurance Crime Bureau [NCIB], the 1994 MY Accord was the most frequently stolen car in the US in 2010 for the third year in a row. The not-for-profit organization stated that the reasons can be found in the car’s weak security systems and the demand for used parts.

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And the Most Appealing Brands and Vehicle Models for U.S. Consumers in 2011 Are…

Aside from the annual vehicle reliability study that determines which are statistically the most and least dependable cars on the market, J.D. Power & Associates’ also conducts an annual survey of the most appealing brands and vehicles in the States.

The APEAL study examines what consumers like and dislike about their vehicles and how gratifying they are to own and drive based on their evaluations of more than 80 different attributes. Some findings are expected but some may come as a surprise to you.

Beginning with the brand appeal, Porsche finished first followed by Jaguar, BMW, Land Rover (despite ranking close to last in J.D. Powers' reliability study), Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

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Study: Turning Black Cabs into EVs Would Save London 4,000 Tonnes of CO2 Every Week

According to a new study from EcoVelocity, London could be saved from 4,000 tonnes of CO2 every week if its 22,000 registered Hackney carriages, or black cabs as they are commonly referred to, were to become electric vehicles.

The above figure could more than triple if London’s private-hire vehicles, or minicabs, also ran on electricity. The study took into account the CO2 emissions of the three most common black cabs, the TXI, TXII and TX4 and the average mileage each cab covers every day.

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Study: Speeding the Most Common Cause of In-Car Arguments Amongst Couples

It’s happened to all of us at some point. You’re behind the steering wheel and just when you think that everything is fine and dandy, the person sitting in the passenger’s seat, be it your spouse, girlfriend of boyfriend, starts yelling: “Slow down, you ‘re driving too fast!”, “You should have listened to me, we missed our exit” or “Keep your distance, we’re gonna hit the car in front of us”.

And that’s how car arguments start, ladies and gentlemen, turning a promising journey into a nightmare…

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How Shocking: Electrical Issues Plague Modern Cars

With modern cars fitted with more and more electronic equipment, it is logical that electrical problems are popping up much more frequently than in past years. According to a Warranty Direct survey in the UK, electrical faults account for 27% of all car malfunctions every year.

That’s a 17% rise over just five years ago, with more than four out of 10 cars each year facing breakdowns due to electrical problems that are mostly rather complex, and expensive to fix.

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Study Shows Volvo’s Active Safety Systems Reduce Accidents

The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) released a study showing that Volvo’s XC60 active safety systems contribute to it being engaged in 27% fewer damage accidents and 51% fewer bodily injury accidents than other mid-size luxury SUVs.

Always according to the study, the XC60 is also 19% less likely to be involved in accidents compared to other models in Volvo’s range. IIHS said that this is due to the SUV's standard low-speed collision avoidance system called City Safety.

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The Price of Parking: Colliers’ Releases Results of 2011 Global Survey

The results of Colliers International’s 2011 Parking Rate Survey are in for the U.S., Canada and the rest of the world, and there are few surprises.

The U.S. national median monthly parking rate is US$155.22, with the highest being midtown Manhattan at US$541 and Renoa at US$45 the cheapest. In Canada, Calgary topped out at US$486 followed by Toronto at $342 USD and Montreal at $305 USD.

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New Gen Y Buyer Survey Spells Trouble for Detroit

Auto pricing website TrueCar studied the car buying behaviour of four million Gen Y (18 to 27 year-old) over a twenty-four month period and here’s what they found.

Scion took the crown for top brand, with 37.4% of the market and for top model (the tC coupe), with 21.2%, while second place went to Mitsubishi (32.1%) and their Lancer sedan (20.3%).

Mazda was the third most visited brand for Gen Y buyers, though only 17th in terms of model. The top four vehicle choices were Japanese, with a German in seventh place and a South Korean in ninth.

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New Study Finds that Chinese Buyers Prefer European over Local Brands

Car buyers’ preferences in China are shifting towards European models and away from domestic and even Japanese vehicles, according to a new study published today by JD Power Asia Pacific. This is the third year that the study takes place.

The latest edition included 65 brands and 161 separate models in nine segments and is based on responses from 4,979 potential buyers of new-vehicles located in 53 cities.

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Black Card Holders Just as Likely to own a Hyundai as a Bentley or an Audi

If you are one of American Express’ very special customers, and have US$16.3 million in assets and an annual household income of around US$1.3 million, you may be granted the privilege of one of their black Centurion Cards.

Simon Cowell has one, as does Kanye West, Denzel Washington and Lindsay Lohan. Interestingly, and of more concern to readers of this blog, you might also be the proud owner of a Hyundai.

During the course of a presentation at the South Korean automaker’s Ann Arbor engineering and research centre, Hyundai’s U.S. Chief John Krafcik revealed that some 6% of “Black Card” holders own a Hyundai – a percentage shared with those who own Bentleys and Audis.

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New Study Suggests One in Eight UK Drivers Falling Asleep on the Wheel

Surely, it has happened to you. You embark on a journey driving your car and, when you feel tired or ready to fall asleep, you keep on driving because you just have to get there on time. At best, you drink a cup of coffee hoping it will wake you up. What you don’t realize is that you are setting up the scene for a, possibly fatal, accident.

A new UK study by Brake and Cambridge Weight Plan that was presented today at a Parliamentary reception attended by MPs and road safety professionals revealed than in the past year, one in eight drivers has “head-nodded” at the wheel, or in other words, fallen asleep between 2 and 30 seconds, often without even realizing it.

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