UK Drivers Risking Road Safety by Cost-Cutting Says Latest Carrentals.co.uk Research

 

 

Released on: November 23, 2011, 3:11 pm
Author: Helen Young
Industry: Travel, Automotive, Internet & Online

Award-winning car hire website sees Brits putting lives at risk by ignoring tyre and brake checks ahead of winter

23 November 2011 – Carrentals.co.uk, the car hire comparator which helps people save on rentals in over 15,000 destinations around the world, has announced the results of a new road safety poll. The website surveyed more than 2,300 UK drivers and discovered that 1 in 3 choose not to have their vehicle serviced due to expense and 1 in 5 have not had bald or worn tyres replaced ahead of winter.

The poll also showed that 1 in 10 motorists have changed from comprehensive to third-party car insurance to save money while pre-winter car servicing and checks are also being neglected; 60% of people have saved money on not getting tyres checked while 80% haven't had their brakes checked either.

Changing brake pads regularly is usually considered a car maintenance essential, but 10% of respondents told Carrentals.co.uk that they have not done so recently to save money.

Gareth Robinson, managing director of Carrentals.co.uk, says: “The results of our latest survey were somewhat concerning, as road safety is simply so important particularly in winter. We understand that people need to make cutbacks wherever possible but we don't advise skimping on vehicle maintenance.”

“British winters are typically hazardous on the roads and ice causes many accidents every year. With that in mind we want people to consider where else they can make savings rather than neglecting their car's safety, something which puts themselves and others at risk.”

The Carrentals.co.uk poll also found that almost 1 in 3 people have traded their car in for a cheaper to maintain model in recent times, while more than 56% now visit an independent garage for car servicing in place of more costly authorised places.

Traditional car rescue cover has also suffered as a result of the financial crisis according to the new Carrentals.co.uk survey. 1 in 10 people have cancelled car rescue contracts and 3% of people confessed to driving without insurance due to the costs of policies these days.

“People clearly need to make cutbacks wherever possible these days, and we understand that entirely, Gareth went on. “However that is not to say that we condone neglecting road safety. Car maintenance is essential, especially with icy weather on the way, so we urge people to look for other ways to save money this winter."

The award winning Carrentals.co.uk is the leading car hire comparison site comparing the best deals from up to 50 rental companies, including Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, Holiday Autos and Sixt. Travellers can rent a car in over 15,000 locations around the world, including car hire in Tenerife, and car hire in Lanzarote for a winter sun escape.

For more information visit www.carrentals.co.uk.
/ends.

About Carrentals.co.uk
Carrentals.co.uk was launched in February 2003 and grew to become one of the UK's leading online car hire companies by 2006.

In 2007 the company re-launched its site to create the first major online price comparator in the travel industry. Using the latest technology the Carrentals.co.uk site now searches up to 50 different car hire websites, providing an impartial comparison of the best prices available in over 15,000 locations.

Websites searched include Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget, Ebookers, Hertz, Holiday Autos, Opodo, Sixt and Thrifty, with the Carrentals.co.uk site quickly comparing prices and allowing customers to refine their search by car type.

The Carrentals.co.uk site also features over 5,000 pages of travel information in a mini-guide format.

In 2008 Carrentals.co.uk was voted Best Car Hire Website in the Travolution Awards, and in 2010 it was Highly Commended in the Best Meta-search/Price Comparison category. To book or for further information visit www.carrentals.co.uk

Media Contact
Rachel Builder & Jenny White
Context
T: 01625 511966
F: 01625 511967
carrentals@contextpr.co.uk
www.contextpr.co.uk

Contact Details: Helen Young
press@asapventures.co.uk
ASAP Ventures Ltd
0844 448 1489
www.carrentals.co.uk

 

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