Mini Thinking about Optional Diesel Power for Next-Gen U.S.-Spec Countryman Crossover

If there is a Mini that would advantage from a torquey, fuel-sipping diesel, it is the biggish and comparatively heavy Countryman crossover. Fortunately, that is specifically what Mini appears to be thinking, as properly, simply because it is designing the next-generation U.S.-spec Countryman to at least be capable of providing an oil-burner.

The current Countryman can be ordered with a diesel in other markets, naturally, but its platform is not made to hold the urea tank and SCR filter required to meet U.S.-marketplace emissions standards. That hurdle will be cleared with the next-gen model, we recently discovered from a Mini executive.

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Of course, Mini hasn’t confirmed a diesel Countryman for our market place, only that it will be possible to sell 1 right here when the subsequent-gen model arrives in 2017. The next Countryman will be constructed atop BMW’s new front-wheel-drive platform, which is shared with the 2014 Mini Hardtop and the upcoming BMW 2-series Active Tourer.

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Mini Thinking about Optional Diesel Power for Next-Gen U.S.-Spec Countryman Crossover

GM Settling With Ignition-Switch Crash Victims Utilizing No-Limit Fund, Payouts Begin This Fall

June 30, 2014 at 6:52 pm by Clifford Atiyeh | Photography by Getty Pictures/Jeff Haynes

Just a few weeks following GM released its internal audit more than the now infamous ignition-switch defect, the firm has announced the particulars of its settlement fund for those impacted. Crash victims and their households hurt by defective ignition switches that Basic Motors installed or repaired in 2.6 million recalled vehicles will see the very first checks as early as November. The settlement fund begins taking claims August 1, 2014, and it has no payout cap. 

Kenneth Feinberg, the lawyer retained by GM since April who has managed settlements for victims of the Boston Marathon bombing and the BP oil spill, will have full discretion—and GM will not be permitted to dispute any authorized claims. As with his other settlements, the payouts will be quick, proportional, and comparatively emotionless.

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Right here are the key takeaways from the proposed settlements:

• Any crash involving the affected cars exactly where the airbags did not deploy, even side airbags, are eligible for compensation. That signifies anyone who experienced stalls but were fortunate sufficient to not crash or die won’t get a penny. Pending class-action and person lawsuits are nonetheless taking that side in court, and GM is trying to shield itself from those cases with a specific clause written into its 2009 government-funded bankruptcy.


• Payouts will take up to 90 days for reduce-and-dry claims and up to 180 days for far more complicated situations. None will be accepted soon after December 31, 2014, which ensures that this will not continue on forever and ever.


• Evidence, in the kind of event data recorders, police reports, photos, and anything else accident-associated will be necessary, but since these crashes go back as far as a decade ago, not every duck wants to be in order, Feinberg says.


• Established averages and all the actuarial equations used by insurance coverage companies will be used right here. That implies rating economic losses due to income, earnings potential, age, place, kids, healthcare bills, and so forth. This is entirely a case-by-case basis and will not turn into public.


• Non-economic losses, such as discomfort and suffering, will be capped for families of dead victims at $ 1 million every single, plus $ 300,000 for a spouse and each and every dependent. For injured victims with brief hospital stays up to 32 nights, their combined economic and non-economic losses will be capped among $ 20,000 and $ 500,000 every. These with severe injuries, such as brain damage or loss of limbs, will be evaluated separately.


• Any person who waived their rights in a earlier GM settlement can apply, though that settlement will be deducted from any new awarded quantity.

The complete text of Feinberg’s settlement plan can be located right here. GM has not estimated any cost for this fund, but you can bet it won’t be low-cost.

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GM Settling With Ignition-Switch Crash Victims Utilizing No-Limit Fund, Payouts Begin This Fall

People’s Wheels Awards survey – a chance to win R25 000

The Standard Bank People’s Wheels Awards survey is back! The 4th installment of the annual popular poll and vehicle ownership survey is officially underway from yesterday – June 23.

By logging on to www.peopleswheels.co.za, motorists have the opportunity to win R25 000 by answering questions about the cars they own and by voting for the cars they wish they owned – the ones they think stand above their peers in each of the 22 categories. In determining the winners, voters have hundreds of models from which to choose. The range spans budget city runabouts to the most exotic sports cars, from bakkies to luxurious SUVs and rugged 4x4s.

The surveys are set to run until August 29. By taking part in the People’s Wheels Poll, voters will help to determine the most popular car in each of the categories as well as an overall winner – the vehicle that garners the most number of votes.

By taking part in the ownership survey they will help to determine which cars they rate highest in terms of the ownership experience, from the actual purchase experience to the drive; from build quality to reliability; from interior comfort to performance; from financing options to cargo capacity; from after sales service to running costs; from looks and styling to economy; from preferred fuel and tyre replacement brands to safety features.

The survey, sponsored by Standard Bank, is brought to you by the Future Group in partnership with the Sunday Times and research house TNS South Africa.

For more information, please visit www.peopleswheels.co.za or follow @AutoAnnualZA on Twitter.

ABOUT THE FUTURE GROUP

Future Group has a proud 17 year history of providing premium quality, well-respected products and services for the Media, Automotive, Business Travel, Corporate, Hunting and Outdoor sectors. The business also provides strategic marketing communications, hosts leading events, and publishes industry-leading reference publications. A portfolio of events that includes: MTN Radio Awards; ON AIR Radio Conference; the Future of Media and Advertising Conference; Business Traveller Africa Awards;  People’s Wheels Awards as well as publications such as The Annual; the Redzone magazine; The Auto Annual; IMPERIAL Auto, Future Trucking & Logistics, Fleet, and Automobil.

For more information, visit www.thefuturegroup.co.za.

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People’s Wheels Awards survey – a chance to win R25 000

The True Cost of a Speeding Ticket in Illinois

Speeding tickets are pricey, but the insurance increases that drivers face right after getting a ticket often have an even greater impact on their pocketbooks than the ticket itself. In Illinois, driving 15 miles per hour more than the speed limit will outcome in a $ 120 fine.  Following receiving a speeding ticket, the average Illinois driver will face a $ 124.80 enhance in his annual car insurance coverage rate. Insurance coverage hikes last for 5 years in Illinois, so drivers can count on to pay $ 624 more for insurance if they’ve been caught speeding.  The true expense of a speeding ticket in Illinois is 6.2 times the cost of the actual ticket—drivers pay an average of $ 744 in total for a $ 120 speeding ticket.

• Most expensive cities to get a speeding ticket in Illinois


• Least pricey cities to get a speeding ticket in Illinois


• Complete list

Not all drivers in Illinois, nevertheless, knowledge the identical insurance increases. For example, a driver in Harvey will pay $ 171.57 a lot more per year for car insurance coverage right after acquiring a ticket, whereas a driver in Evanston will only pay $ 91.48 a lot more per year. Generally, the percentage increase in auto insurance coverage prices is constant in Illinois—about 12%. The disparity in dollar quantity increases can be best explained by the variability in vehicle insurance prices from location to place.

Key findings

• The typical automobile insurance coverage enhance for Illinois drivers right after a 15 miles per hour over the limit speeding ticket is $ 124.80 per year. Insurance coverage increases frequently last for 5 years in Illinois, which indicates a $ 120 ticket actually fees $ 744.


• In Illinois, the typical driver will face a 12.34% annual insurance premium increase following receiving a speeding ticket.


• Nine out of the 10 cities that see the largest insurance coverage increases soon after speeding tickets are in Cook County. Chicagoans, even so, do not crack the top 10 they have the 15th largest insurance increases after acquiring a speeding ticket.

What need to you do if you obtain a speeding ticket in Illinois?

Illinois drivers with clean records normally have 3 alternatives after getting a minor speeding ticket:

• Plead guilty, spend the fine and get a conviction.


• Plead guilty, spend the fine and attend targeted traffic security school to avoid getting a conviction.


• Plead not guilty and request a court date.

If you are eligible to attend a visitors security course: It is typically far more financially accountable to take the course and keep away from a conviction. For instance, drivers in Cook County only have to spend $ 27 on top of their ticket to enroll in visitors security school. Although you will spend slightly a lot more, your insurance coverage rates will remain the very same.

If you get a conviction: Now is a good time to gather new quotes from a couple of auto insurers. Some carriers will overlook visitors violations, but drivers won’t know if their carrier is one of them unless they do their investigation.

Illinois cities exactly where it is most high-priced to get a speeding ticket

1. Harvey

Accurate expense of a speeding ticket:  $ 977.85

Chicagoland drivers see the greatest insurance increases after receiving a speeding ticket, particularly these in the south suburbs.  Compared to other Illinois drivers, the typical Harvey driver pays the most for vehicle insurance, $ 1,340.81 per year. As a outcome, they have the highest per year boost of any Illinois city, $ 171.57, even although the percentage increase is on par with the state average.

The typical Harvey household earned $ 28,123, a lot much less than the state average of $ 56,853. Education levels frequently impact an area’s vehicle insurance rates. Only 10.5% of Harvey residents have a bachelor’s degree or greater, compared to 31.1% of Illinois residents.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Harvey also has a 12.5% unemployment rate—higher than the state average of 7.9%. 

2. Cicero

Accurate price of a speeding ticket: $ 939.05

Soon after acquiring a speeding ticket, Cicero drivers spend an average of $ 163.81 per year a lot more every year for auto insurance coverage. Given that speeding tickets typically influence auto insurance coverage premiums for 5 years, Illinois drivers who obtain speeding tickets pay an additional $ 819.05.

Drivers in congested cities typically have larger auto insurance coverage premiums. With a lot more vehicles and obstacles on the road, drivers face a larger likelihood of obtaining in an accident. Cicero has a larger population density than Chicago, with 14,303.7 folks per square mile.

3. Park Ridge

True cost of a speeding ticket: $ 930.65

Park Ridge is a single of 2 northern suburbs to make the list of cities with the largest insurance coverage increases following a speeding ticket. The average Park Ridge driver pays $ 1,147 per year for car insurance, but following getting a speeding ticket, that quantity jumps to $ 1,309.13. Considering that hikes generally last for 5 years, Park Ridge residents can anticipate to pay $ 810.65 far more for insurance as a outcome of a minor speeding ticket.

4. Berwyn

True expense of a speeding ticket $ 930.00

Berwyn drivers, like neighboring Cicero drivers, have higher auto insurance coverage rates. A common Berwyn driver pays $ 1,211.88 per year for car insurance. Nonetheless, following receiving a speeding ticket, the average driver should spend $ 162.00 more per year for vehicle insurance for 5 years. As a outcome of a single speeding ticket, the typical Berwyn driver pays $ 810 more for automobile insurance.

A municipality’s density is a huge factor when determining auto insurance prices. Berwyn has 14,508.8 individuals per square mile, which is the highest population density of any township in Illinois—even much more than Chicago.

5. Calumet City

Correct cost of a speeding ticket in Calumet: $ 928.45

Calumet City drivers see the fifth highest insurance coverage increases right after they obtain speeding tickets. On average, Calumet City drivers pay $ 1,275.44 per year for automobile insurance coverage, but after receiving a speeding ticket, they can count on to spend $ 1,437.13 each year. The typical auto insurance enhance is $ 161.69 per year in Calumet City, which outcomes in a 5-year total of $ 808.45 added in car insurance coverage costs.

6. Oak Lawn

True price of a speeding ticket in Oak Lawn: $ 924.40

Oak Lawn drivers are virtually tied with Calumet drivers when it comes to the dollar improve in insurance premiums. Following getting a speeding ticket, Oak Lawn drivers spend $ 160.88 more per year on typical for insurance. Since premium increases normally final for 5 years, this final results in a grand total of $ 804.40 in insurance increases.

7. Chicago Heights

Accurate cost of a speeding ticket: $ 887.50

Drivers in Chicago Heights, one of Chicagoland’s south suburbs, face the 6th largest auto insurance premium increases after they acquire a speeding ticket. When convicted of a speeding ticket, the average Chicago Heights driver will see his car insurance premium improve by $ 153.50 per year for 5 years. Drivers will as a result spend $ 767.50 more for insurance as a outcome of a single speeding ticket.

8. Northbrook

Correct cost of a speeding ticket: $ 883.15

Northbrook is the northernmost suburb to make the list. On average, its residents pay $ 1,034.50 per year for auto insurance coverage. After a speeding ticket, Northbrook drivers pay $ 152.63 far more per year. In total, they will pay $ 763.15 in insurance coverage increases following a speeding ticket.

9. Dekalb

Accurate expense of a speeding ticket: $ 878.75

Dekalb, a city in Dekalb County, is the only city to make the list that is not in Cook County. The typical Dekalb driver pays $ 891.63 per year for auto insurance, but following receiving a speeding ticket, Dekalb drivers will spend $ 151.75 far more per year for insurance. Aspect in a 5-year insurance boost, and a Dekalb driver will spend $ 758.75 in improved insurance coverage premiums for a single ticket.

10. Oak Park

True price of a speeding ticket: $ 866.45

Oak Park is typically admired for its mixture of suburban charm and its easy access to large city amenities. It borders Chicago and has connecting “L” lines. Oak Park drivers, nevertheless, spend slightly far more for insurance coverage than their massive city neighbors soon after receiving a speeding ticket. After receiving a speeding ticket, Oak Park motorists will spend $ 149.29 more per year for vehicle insurance. Accounting for 5 years of insurance coverage increases, a single speeding ticket will price the typical Oak Park driver $ 746.45. 

Most pricey cities to get a speeding ticket in Illinois

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Least expensive cities to get a speeding ticket in Illinois

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The full list

Methodology:

To decide the average insurance coverage premium increases, we retrieved quotes for 4 diverse driver profiles in Illinois: 27-year-old single guys and ladies and 40-year-old married guys and women every driving Toyota Camrys and Ford Escapes. For each and every driver profile, we chose each and every city’s 2 least expensive auto insurance coverage quotes to mimic consumer behavior and to figure out our overall average. We only surveyed cities that had populations greater than 15,000 residents. All demographic data comes from the Census. We calculated the total expense of the speeding ticket by adding the price of a speeding ticket to 5 years of vehicle insurance coverage increases. The estimated charges are for illustrative purposes only. The actual insurance increases you face will differ depending on your insurance carrier, your place and other aspects.

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The True Cost of a Speeding Ticket in Illinois

Ranking	City	Accurate Expense	Annual Auto Insurance Premium	Annual Premium Following a Speeding Ticket	Percentage Increase	Dollar Enhance	5-Year Insurance coverage Enhance
1	Harvey	$ 977.85	$ 1,340.81	$ 1,512.38	12.80%	$ 171.57	$ 857.85
2	Cicero	$ 939.05	$ 1,282.25	$ 1,446.06	12.78%	$ 163.81	$ 819.05
3	Park Ridge	$ 930.65	$ 1,147.00	$ 1,309.13	14.14%	$ 162.13	$ 810.65
4	Berwyn	$ 930.00	$ 1,211.88	$ 1,373.88	13.37%	$ 162.00	$ 810.00
5	Calumet City	$ 928.45	$ 1,275.44	$ 1,437.13	12.68%	$ 161.69	$ 808.45
6	Oak Lawn	$ 924.40	$ 1,169.31	$ 1,330.19	13.76%	$ 160.88	$ 804.40
7	Chicago Heights	$ 887.50	$ 1,171.25	$ 1,324.75	13.11%	$ 153.50	$ 767.50
8	Northbrook	$ 883.15	$ 1,034.50	$ 1,187.13	14.75%	$ 152.63	$ 763.15
9	Dekalb	$ 878.75	$ 891.63	$ 1,043.38	17.02%	$ 151.75	$ 758.75
10	Oak Park	$ 866.45	$ 1,145.52	$ 1,294.81	13.03%	$ 149.29	$ 746.45
11	Melrose Park	$ 864.65	$ 1,146.38	$ 1,295.31	12.99%	$ 148.93	$ 744.65
12	Addison	$ 864.05	$ 990.19	$ 1,139.00	15.03%	$ 148.81	$ 744.05
13	Burbank	$ 861.55	$ 1,115.00	$ 1,263.31	13.30%	$ 148.31	$ 741.55
14	Lansing	$ 861.25	$ 1,133.38	$ 1,281.63	13.08%	$ 148.25	$ 741.25
15	Chicago	$ 846.55	$ 1,236.52	$ 1,381.83	11.75%	$ 145.31	$ 726.55
16	Oak Forest	$ 844.40	$ 1,146.56	$ 1,291.44	12.64%	$ 144.88	$ 724.40
17	Granite City	$ 836.55	$ 1,070.25	$ 1,213.56	13.39%	$ 143.31	$ 716.55
18	Hoffman Estates	$ 826.10	$ 1,031.69	$ 1,172.91	13.69%	$ 141.22	$ 706.10
19	Orland Park	$ 816.75	$ 1,075.09	$ 1,214.44	12.96%	$ 139.35	$ 696.75
20	East Saint Louis	$ 814.35	$ 1,247.14	$ 1,386.01	11.14%	$ 138.87	$ 694.35
21	Belvidere	$ 807.20	$ 978.50	$ 1,115.94	14.05%	$ 137.44	$ 687.20
22	Tinley Park	$ 800.00	$ 1,050.97	$ 1,186.97	12.94%	$ 136.00	$ 680.00
23	Belleville	$ 790.25	$ 1,027.33	$ 1,161.38	13.05%	$ 134.05	$ 670.25
24	Alton	$ 783.40	$ 1,005.38	$ 1,138.06	13.20%	$ 132.68	$ 663.40
25	Glenview	$ 779.25	$ 1,055.34	$ 1,187.19	12.49%	$ 131.85	$ 659.25
26	Buffalo Grove	$ 778.15	$ 1,039.56	$ 1,171.19	12.66%	$ 131.63	$ 658.15
27	Wilmette	$ 777.15	$ 1,008.63	$ 1,140.06	13.03%	$ 131.43	$ 657.15
28	Des Plaines	$ 773.00	$ 1,002.06	$ 1,132.66	13.03%	$ 130.60	$ 653.00
29	Decatur	$ 771.60	$ 983.06	$ 1,113.38	13.26%	$ 130.32	$ 651.60
30	Schaumburg	$ 769.65	$ 997.70	$ 1,127.63	13.02%	$ 129.93	$ 649.65
31	Collinsville	$ 757.20	$ 973.25	$ 1,25.69	13.09%	$ 127.44	$ 637.20
32	Peoria	$ 756.00	$ 984.53	$ 1,111.73	12.92%	$ 127.20	$ 636.00
33	Arlington Heights	$ 755.20	$ 958.84	$ 1,085.88	13.25%	$ 127.04	$ 635.20
34	Streamwood	$ 751.90	$ 974.25	$ 1,100.63	12.97%	$ 126.38	$ 631.90
35	Woodridge	$ 751.25	$ 978.69	$ 1,104.94	12.90%	$ 126.25	$ 631.25
36	Glendale Heights	$ 747.20	$ 952.19	$ 1,077.63	13.17%	$ 125.44	$ 627.20
37	Mchenry	$ 746.70	$ 951.94	$ 1,077.28	13.17%	$ 125.34	$ 626.70
38	Hanover Park	$ 745.30	$ 1,019.38	$ 1,144.44	12.27%	$ 125.06	$ 625.30
39	Elmhurst	$ 742.50	$ 970.00	$ 1,094.50	12.84%	$ 124.50	$ 622.50
40	North Chicago	$ 740.60	$ 968.38	$ 1,092.50	12.82%	$ 124.12	$ 620.60
41	Lombard	$ 739.05	$ 951.25	$ 1,075.06	13.02%	$ 123.81	$ 619.05
42	Gurnee	$ 734.70	$ 933.94	$ 1,056.88	13.16%	$ 122.94	$ 614.70
43	Carbondale	$ 731.25	$ 1,019.44	$ 1,141.69	11.99%	$ 122.25	$ 611.25
44	O Fallon	$ 730.90	$ 932.13	$ 1,054.31	13.11%	$ 122.18	$ 610.90
45	Mount Prospect	$ 730.65	$ 999.81	$ 1,121.94	12.22%	$ 122.13	$ 610.65
46	Oswego	$ 730.60	$ 913.63	$ 1,035.75	13.37%	$ 122.12	$ 610.60
47	Springfield	$ 729.20	$ 964.30	$ 1,086.14	12.64%	$ 121.84	$ 609.20
48	Waukegan	$ 724.20	$ 978.75	$ 1,099.59	12.35%	$ 120.84	$ 604.20
49	Wheeling	$ 723.45	$ 1,054.44	$ 1,175.13	11.45%	$ 120.69	$ 603.45
50	Palatine	$ 723.10	$ 980.41	$ 1,101.03	12.30%	$ 120.62	$ 603.10
51	Moline	$ 723.10	$ 937.94	$ 1,058.56	12.86%	$ 120.62	$ 603.10
52	Wheaton	$ 720.30	$ 930.16	$ 1,050.22	12.91%	$ 120.06	$ 600.30
53	Glen Ellyn	$ 717.50	$ 976.06	$ 1,095.56	12.24%	$ 119.50	$ 597.50
54	Naperville	$ 707.25	$ 917.52	$ 1,034.97	12.80%	$ 117.45	$ 587.25
55	Batavia	$ 704.10	$ 906.06	$ 1,022.88	12.89%	$ 116.82	$ 584.10
56	Champaign	$ 699.80	$ 927.98	$ 1,043.94	12.50%	$ 115.96	$ 579.80
57	West Chicago	$ 699.40	$ 954.56	$ 1,070.44	12.14%	$ 115.88	$ 579.40
58	Crystal Lake	$ 699.10	$ 949.81	$ 1,065.63	12.19%	$ 115.82	$ 579.10
59	Downers Grove	$ 695.95	$ 979.97	$ 1,095.16	11.75%	$ 115.19	$ 575.95
60	Kankakee	$ 695.60	$ 976.94	$ 1,092.06	11.78%	$ 115.12	$ 575.60
61	Joliet	$ 691.65	$ 1,015.20	$ 1,129.53	11.26%	$ 114.33	$ 571.65
62	Niles	$ 691.25	$ 1,092.81	$ 1,207.06	10.45%	$ 114.25	$ 571.25
63	Saint Charles	$ 690.45	$ 921.69	$ 1,035.78	12.38%	$ 114.09	$ 570.45
64	Urbana	$ 689.50	$ 930.16	$ 1,044.06	12.25%	$ 113.90	$ 569.50
65	Pekin	$ 689.35	$ 880.88	$ 994.75	12.93%	$ 113.87	$ 569.35
66	Elk Grove Village	$ 689.05	$ 979.13	$ 1,092.94	11.62%	$ 113.81	$ 569.05
67	Rock Island	$ 680.00	$ 944.00	$ 1,056.00	11.86%	$ 112.00	$ 560.00
68	Freeport	$ 678.75	$ 896.50	$ 1,008.25	12.47%	$ 111.75	$ 558.75
69	Galesburg	$ 677.20	$ 865.69	$ 977.13	12.87%	$ 111.44	$ 557.20
70	Bartlett	$ 668.40	$ 991.63	$ 1,101.31	11.06%	$ 109.68	$ 548.40
71	Skokie	$ 665.00	$ 1,144.09	$ 1,253.09	9.53%	$ 109.00	$ 545.00
72	Romeoville	$ 663.10	$ 1,022.63	$ 1,131.25	8.62%	$ 108.62	$ 543.10
73	Plainfield	$ 656.55	$ 1,004.46	$ 1,111.77	10.68%	$ 107.31	$ 536.55
74	Bloomington	$ 656.15	$ 845.04	$ 952.27	12.69%	$ 107.23	$ 536.15
75	Elgin	$ 654.15	$ 972.13	$ 1,078.96	8.99%	$ 106.83	$ 534.15
76	Normal	$ 648.15	$ 846.75	$ 952.38	12.47%	$ 105.63	$ 528.15
77	Carol Stream	$ 646.25	$ 974.88	$ 1,080.13	10.80%	$ 105.25	$ 526.25
78	Rockford	$ 645.70	$ 1,024.47	$ 1,129.61	8.26%	$ 105.14	$ 525.70
79	Algonquin	$ 645.35	$ 982.81	$ 1,087.88	8.69%	$ 105.07	$ 525.35
80	Aurora	$ 643.10	$ 951.63	$ 1,056.25	8.99%	$ 104.62	$ 523.10
81	Quincy	$ 628.75	$ 796.31	$ 898.06	12.78%	$ 101.75	$ 508.75
82	Highland Park	$ 619.70	$ 1,050.75	$ 1,150.69	9.51%	$ 99.94	$ 499.70
83	Mundelein	$ 616.25	$ 959.44	$ 1,058.69	10.34%	$ 99.25	$ 496.25
84	Bolingbrook	$ 614.35	$ 1,066.69	$ 1,165.56	9.27%	$ 98.87	$ 494.35
85	Danville	$ 598.75	$ 951.38	$ 1,047.13	8.06%	$ 95.75	$ 478.75
86	Carpentersville	$ 595.65	$ 962.56	$ 1,057.69	9.88%	$ 95.13	$ 475.65
87	Vernon Hills	$ 588.75	$ 984.56	$ 1,078.31	9.52%	$ 93.75	$ 468.75
88	Evanston	$ 577.40	$ 1,054.77	$ 1,146.25	8.67%	$ 91.48	$ 457.40

Name That Shifter, No. 185

It is Monday, and that means it is time to present this week’s shifter. You’ll have till mid-day Wednesday to identify the make and model of the vehicle whence this shifter came. The 1st particular person to respond correctly in the Backfires section below will win a Save the Manuals button and sticker.* Excellent luck!

(* Provide open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.)

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Name That Shifter, No. 185

2015 Subaru Outback 1st Drive: An Altogether Much better Looking Hiking Boot

Initial Drive Assessment

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Refreshed wagon alternative to the crossover SUV.

Subaru’s Australian pitchman, Paul Hogan, is extended gone, but the Outback he after peddled is humming along quite effectively without him. And taking into consideration you haven’t believed about Mick “Crocodile” Dundee in years, you have most likely been carrying out just fine with no him, as well.

Subaru is has redesigned the Outback for 2015, a almost certainly unnecessary move in light of the 120,000 or so Outbacks Subaru sold final year. More than one in each 4 Subarus sold in the U.S. is an Outback, a factoid that suggests the business could’ve left the outgoing wagon on the vine for a handful of a lot more years. But a new Legacy sedan just arrived a few months ago, so the Legacy-primarily based Outback was subsequent in line for a redo.

The 2015 Outback is a cautious redesign. With the old model promoting well, Subaru has stayed accurate to the Outback formula. But the new model appears sleeker. There’s significantly less plastic cladding, and the front-end styling is cleaner, more cohesive, and significantly less dorky. It is an altogether greater searching hiking boot. The new Outback is just over an inch longer, while the wheelbase is up just over an inch. Furthermore, front-seat occupants will find 2 far more inches of shoulder area.

Sitting in the front seat is also more pleasant thanks to a redesigned interior with slightly much better material top quality. How slight? The inside of the glovebox is now felt-lined. The instrument-panel design and style is clean, 2 big analog gauges stare back from behind the steering wheel, and there’s a normal 6.2-inch touch screen (Premium and Limited trim levels get a 7.-inch monitor) perched above the climate controls that operates audio, phone-pairing, and the optional navigation functions. Rear-seat space is exceptional and, there’s 73.3 cubic feet of cargo region (with the seats folded), so do not bother deflating your river raft.

Outback Output

Each engines continue unchanged from last year. A 2.5-liter flat-4 with 175 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque connects by means of a CVT automatic and opens at $ 25,745. Energy is sufficient, and the characteristic flat-4 growl is subdued in this latest application. We’d estimate a -to-60 time about 9 seconds flat. The EPA predicts fuel economy of 25 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, an improvement over last year’s 2.5-liter Outback’s 24 city and 30 highway numbers.

Only about 20 % of Outback customers opt for the 256-hp 3.6-liter flat-6. The 6-pot Outback comes only in the top Limited trim level and starts at $ 33,845. The smooth-revving flat-6 is certainly faster than the 4, but it does not feel impressively so. We’d estimate zero-to-60 occasions in the mid-6-second variety. Fuel economy comes in at 20-mpg city and 27-mpg highway for the larger engine (3 much better in the city and 2 much better on the highway than the 2014 6-cylinder model). For 2015, the 6 gets a CVT as an alternative of a standard automatic. In the 6 and the 4, Subaru’s CVT acts as if it is shifting through gears as it moves via preset ratios. There are even steering-wheel-mounted paddles to call up 6 preset ratios.

If you do not spend close interest and refrain from stomping on the Outback’s accelerator, the CVT may possibly fool you into considering it is a typical automatic. Even though a CVT does not really jibe with the character of the efficiency-oriented WRX, the CVT’s slightly sluggish responses don’t rile us as a lot in a a lot more laid-back auto such as the Outback. There’s no manual offered. Need to you want a clutch pedal, Subaru will point you toward the Forester crossover.

Driving on All 4s

Permanent 4-wheel drive is common on all Outbacks and its 77 inches of ground clearance are adequate for most any off-road trails that you’d care to venture down with infant onboard. What the Outback lacks, relative to the small SUVs, is a higher seating position. Whilst larger than most automobiles, the Outback does not tower over visitors like an SUV or crossover. The significant upside to this: the Outback drives like a car and you don’t have to climb into it.

A faster steering ratio and electric power assist are new for the 2015 Outback. Tactile and secure, the steering nearly functions with the precision and feedback of the BRZ sports auto. Physique roll is kept in verify and there’s surprising sportiness to the Outback that belies its size and its tall-aspect-ratio tires. We can give those big, unfashionable sidewalls some credit for the supple ride. Even on rippled dirt roads, the Outback absorbs bumps and massive impacts without any bone-jarring jolts or unseemly structural shudders. Subaru claims the structure is 59 percent stiffer in torsion and 35 % in bending.

If you can not handle your way out of an accident, the Outback has standard front, front-side, curtain, and front-seat-cushion airbags. The first of their sort in a Subaru, the seat-cushion airbags take the place of dash-mounted knee airbags and deploy from the leading edge of the seat-bottom cushions, made to keep front-seat occupants’ legs from impacting the dashboard.

Security choices incorporate blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-site visitors warnings, adaptive cruise handle, and the camera-based collision-warning program that Subaru calls EyeSight. EyeSight mounts 2 cameras inside the auto about the rearview mirror. Equipped with EyeSight, the Outback will automatically quit or slow the car to steer clear of or mitigate a crash. EyeSight is bundled into many selection packages, the least pricey of which charges $ 1695 and also brings blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-visitors, and a power-operated tailgate.

Like we said, the Outback wasn’t crying out for a redesign. Confident, it wasn’t the prettiest face in the segment, but several buyers turned a blind eye to the styling and sales remained sturdy. The 2015 model is far better hunting inside and out, quieter, more strong, and remains a carlike option to small crossover SUVs. As opposed to these vehicle-primarily based items, the Outback really is a auto and it is far better for it.

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Cancelling automobile insurance coverage? What to anticipate

So, you’ve just arranged your car insurance coverage, only to uncover a less expensive deal on offer you from a rival firm. Can you cancel the policy and switch?

What about when you want to sell your automobile but you are only half way by means of your year of insurance? Can you get your cash back if you paid for your cover up front?

Most consumers will be pleased to know that the answer is yes – you can cancel. But, although there’s nothing to quit you from cancelling your policy, there is also practically nothing to cease the insurer from charging a cancellation fee.

So you probably won’t be shocked that several of them make the most of their rights. The costs differ and, in some cases can be as higher as £75, although it’s fair to say that a charge of about £25 is much more typical.

Cooling-off period

What if you cancel in the course of the cooling-off period – the time quickly after acquire exactly where you are entitled to modify your thoughts about getting the policy? Certainly you won’t have to pay a fee?

By law, insurers must offer you a minimum 14-day cooling-off period, throughout which you are entitled to cancel the policy.

The cooling-off period begins when you get your documents, or when the cover starts, whichever is the later. But the insurer can nonetheless apply a charge to cover the cost of administration.

It is not usually as higher as the fee if you cancel right after the cooling-off period, but it can nonetheless sting your pocket.

Some insurers enable longer cooling-off periods, so it is worth checking the information of your policy. (And if you get a protection policy, such as life insurance coverage, the cooling off period is 30 days.)

Premium refund

So much for charges. What about a refund of premiums?

You may well anticipate to get some thing close to a pro rata refund of any premiums, significantly less any cancellation charge. So if you have got 6 months left on your policy, you’d believe you’d be due 6 months-worth of premiums back.

You’d almost certainly be disappointed. Practice varies, but insurers normally don’t refund the last 2 months of premiums, so if you are close to renewal, it’s most likely worth handing on just before you switch to a much better deal elsewhere.

If you cancel half-way by means of the year, you will possibly only get 4 months of premiums back. This is all due to the fact insurers fund their admin charges with the early months’ premiums.

Monthly payments

With auto insurance coverage, several men and women pick to spread the price by paying month-to-month by direct debit.

But take note: just cancelling your direct debit doesn’t mean you have cancelled the policy. Inform your insurer you want to cancel and get confirmation from them, otherwise they may chase you for unpaid premiums.

5 ways to slash your auto insurance

Making a complaint

If your insurer does not offer you any refund, or if it gives a lot much less than a pro rata refund, it‘s worth creating a complaint.

Make contact with the firm in the initial instance. If it won’t budge, get in touch with the Financial Ombudsman Service (www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk), which takes a dim view of firms that penalise customers for working out their cancellation rights.

It says: “It is important for the firm to have fair factors for its method to premium refunds – and for it to explain its method clearly to the consumer.”

Of course, if you have created a claim on the policy it is a bit diverse. As you would anticipate, the insurer is then under no obligation to refund any premiums.

Renewal techniques

It is always worth taking a bit of time to function out the sums prior to you cancel any policy as it may well be greater to wait until the insurance coverage is up for renewal.

You should also check no matter whether your policy is automatically renewed every year. If it is, you want to interrupt the procedure so that you can move to a much better deal – it is constantly worth checking the marketplace at renewal as insurers don’t reward loyalty.

Sometimes, it is the insurer that decides to cancel the policy. This is typically the outcome of a modify that increases the likelihood of a claim, such as modifications to the auto.

If the insurer cancels your policy, make certain you find yet another insurer instantly, and don’t drive the vehicle once more until you’ve got cover in location.

Cancelling automobile insurance coverage? What to anticipate

Scania Operates Longer Autos in Sweden.

What is not there to like about Sweden?? Does anybody know something undesirable about the spot?? The trucks are great, the country is complete of beautiful scenery, the men and women are beautiful and the government have their heads screwed on!! Study this from Scania’s press division

By driving with 2 full-length trailers, Scania reduces fuel consumption by up to 30 percent with an equivalent reduction in dangerous carbon dioxide emissions. Following Scania’s request, the Swedish Transport Agency has now granted permission to operate rigs of 31.5 metres in total length between Södertälje and Helsingborg in Sweden.

Scania Transport Laboratory has been conducting study activities on the road for the past 6 years by transporting the company’s own components beneath realistic operating situations in between Scania’s production units in Södertälje, Sweden and Zwolle in the Netherlands. The Transport Laboratory has already been able to demonstrate a halving of CO2emissions per tonne-kilometre from 2008 to 2012, thanks to skilful drivers, optimised vehicles and lower typical speed. Another step is now being taken to show how heavy autos through new methods of considering can drastically minimize climate emissions to 20 grams per tonne-kilometre. The haulage service has been operated to date using rigs of 16.5 metres, which is the maximum permitted length these days for the tractor-semitrailer car mixture in most European states, with the exception of nations such as Sweden and Finland. For the truck-trailer combination, a maximum length of 18.75 metres applies in most European states, even though nations such as Sweden and Finland, permit 25.25 metres.

“There are constructive environmental effects of longer vehicle combinations but sadly it is hard to uncover assistance for this situation in many European nations,” comments Erik Ljungberg, Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations at Scania. “It is really gratifying that the Swedish authorities are taking action to acquire these rewards. To attain an equivalent climate impact by means of vehicle development would take several years.”

The choice of the Swedish Transport Agency was preceded by the Swedish Transport Administration’s stability tests on vehicle combinations of 31.5 metres in order to guarantee that these autos do not present any threat, for instance for the duration of sudden evasive manoeuvres.

“Our lengthy haulage services will not result in any disruptions to the pace of site visitors and we will very simply be capable to sustain the legal speed limit of 80 km/hour,” assures Anders Gustavsson, Managing Director of Scania Transport Laboratory.

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Scania Operates Longer Autos in Sweden.

2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport 2.0T Test: Dialing Back Flash, Amping Up the Chassis

Instrumented Test

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Dialing back the style, amping up the chassis.

• ROBERT KERIAN AND


• THE MANUFACTURER

Over its life span, the Hyundai Sonata has seldom produced a potent styling statement. (We’re not counting the powerfully ugly ones.) But the final Sonata stood as the looker in its set until it was eclipsed by its elegant Kia Optima stablemate and Ford’s new David Brown Fusion-Martin. For 2015, Hyundai has dialed back the radical in favor of an automobile constructed to blend.

In the interest of tractability (and fuel economy, no doubt), the engineers have gone light on energy at the prime of the line, equipping the prime-spec 2.-liter engine with a smaller turbocharger. As a result, horsepower drops to 245 from 274, and the new Sonata gives up a considerable 1.9 seconds to our 2011 lengthy-term 2.0T in the -to-60-mph sprint. The base car sallies forth with a naturally aspirated, 185-hp 2.4-liter 4, while a turbocharged 1.6 arrives as the Eco-badged fuel-miser specific. The 2.4 and the 2. turbo are paired with a 6-speed autobox, but the 1.6 gets Hyundai’s 6-speed dual-clutch unit. The hybrid soldiers on with the old physique style until 2016.

Back on the topic of styling, Hyundai seems to have lost some momentum right here with the Sport version. The new design simply doesn’t hang with each other as well as did the previous hewn-from-soapstone model. The chrome on the sill extensions of our loaded Sport 2.0T looks unnecessary and slightly chintzy, whilst the rear spoiler appears as if somebody stuck it on as a test and then forgot to remove it. The lesser cars are more aesthetically effective.

In contrast, the interior is nicely believed out. There are no glaring ergonomic flaws, and the supplies are at least typical for this very competitive class. Rear-seat occupants acquire an inch of legroom over the outgoing car. The Sonata registers BMW 7-series quiet on the decibel meter, even though the noises that get in are not the most pleasant. Wind roars about the A-pillars, and overt turbo whoosh pairs inharmoniously with some ’90s-hangover engine thrash. The visibility’s great and the seats are comfortable, and family people and traveling salesmen won’t discover driving the automobile fatiguing.

Our test automobile was a preproduction unit that Hyundai had driven out to California from its Montgomery, Alabama, plant, and it did suffer a considerable mishap. An undertorqued hose clamp let go between the turbo and the intercooler. The resultant lack of enhance at altitude in the Angeles National Forest left the auto with what felt like a third of its rated horsepower.

We limped to a gas station for an ad-hoc repair with an undersize screwdriver, which held until our 30-to-50-mph test run at Hyundai’s high-desert proving ground. Facility techs torqued it back down and the car presented no additional concerns. But all of this could have resulted in compromised—read: slower—performance numbers, and we will be executing our battery of tests on another 2.0T as soon as feasible.

We can’t say that the Sonata Sport shone as brightly as the Mazda 6 or Honda Accord on the mountain back roads prior to its loss of enhance, but it’s every single bit as rewarding to drive as a Fusion. Nor can we pan it as a disconnected machine. The grip-averse tires, which served up .80 g on the skidpad, nevertheless transmit enough warning to keep issues from going hairball, whilst feedback by means of the wheel was present, welcome, and surprisingly vibrant. The Koreans have typically been excoriated for engineering the numbest steering in the enterprise, but the Sonata Sport 2.0T is one more signal right after the 2015 Genesis sedan that the trend could be reversing. The rack—unique amongst 2015 Sonatas—even betters those in some a lot far more expensive iron from Europe.

The chassis improvements are striking, and braking suffers only 1 demerit: a pedal that’s a bit too eager to bite at very first. The rest of the pedal’s travel is nice and linear, and our measured stopping distance is class-competitive at 178 feet from 70 mph.

Nevertheless, we query the company’s choice to get in touch with this model “Sport,” unless the sport to which they’re referring is curling. With that extra rear legroom and a trunk measuring 16.3 cubic feet, the Sonata will happily carry a burly 4-man squad, a complement of stones, a set of brooms, and sufficient cold ones to hold the game heated.

So will it blend? Hyundai is betting that consumers in the segment will like the smoothie it has served up. We like it just fine, regardless of the Sport model’s distinct absence of sportiness. Despite the fact that we have a feeling its mixed bag of strengths and demerits would location it midpack in a class-wide comparison test, its finer qualities are in the end these that win the day.

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Claim Your Turf: Custom Jeep Hood Decals Show Exactly where You’ve Been

Thanks to the prevalence of modern GPS systems, newer drivers will probably in no way experience the proper of passage that is trying to decipher an unwieldy paper map below fading light whilst simultaneously nursing the last valuable drops of gasoline, only to finish up hopelessly lost. But thanks to the new map-themed hood decals from Mopar, Jeep owners will at least get the likelihood to attempt, even though this time about the map is vinyl, and stuck, semi-permanently, we hope, to the hood.

Created from premium 3M films that “meet automotive engineering requirements for superior graphic functionality,” owners can use Jeep’s on-line tool to decide on a map from a choice of pre-loaded trails. Or, if you’re feeling adventuresome, you can type in a zip code or name of a preferred trail and channel your inner cartographer, selecting a region, and even adding a point of interest. (We developed the map on the green Wrangler under making use of 1000 Jeep Parkway, the street address of the original Willys Jeep factory in Toledo, Ohio, simply because we are clever that way.) Customers can also swap the rustic topographical-themed graphics for street-level maps. We’d get in touch with that using your hood to preserve you from obtaining lost in the hood, if you will. 

Retailing for $ 295 plus installation, the program has applications for the Wrangler and Wrangler Limitless, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Cherokee. Ordering is straightforward. Soon after you finish your design and style on Jeep’s web site, you will acquire an email confirmation with a portion quantity and design and style code. Take that to the dealer, and your custom map will arrive in 8–10 organization days. Then you can schedule an installation with the dealer or independent contractor. DIY’ers are welcome to have a go at it themselves.

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Claim Your Turf: Custom Jeep Hood Decals Show Exactly where You’ve Been

Corvette Museum to Keep Sinkhole Portion, Display Automobiles in Cave

As a memorial to the homies it lost, the National Corvette Museum will leave component of the giant sinkhole that swallowed 8 uncommon Corvettes as a permanent exhibit.

The museum, which has enjoyed a 59-% spike in visitor volume considering that it put the “Great 8” wreckage on display, said it decided against filling the abyss to retain “this new element of history.” Retained will be a hole that is 30-feet deep, 25-feet long and 45-feet wide—a mere fraction of the original opening—with a “dirt embankment” in the cave beneath where 1 or 2 cars can be displayed. Later, if the museum grows tired of the sinkhole saga, the square void can be covered.

“We have to look at creative techniques to create interest in the museum,” executive director Wendell Strode mentioned on the museum’s weblog. “It would be so a lot less complicated to just be a normal automotive museum with our Corvettes on show, but we have to feel outdoors the box.”

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Building begins in September, at which time the Bowling Green, Kentucky, museum will have celebrated its 20th anniversary and the Great 8 will take a deserved break. While we laud the museum’s publicity efforts and its newfound fascination with speleology, had the sinkhole emerged throughout organization hours and taken men and women down with it, we’d be writing a extremely diverse story.

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Corvette Museum to Keep Sinkhole Portion, Display Automobiles in Cave

2015 Honda Fit EX Tested: Ultimate Practicality Redesigned!

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Will it fit?: Determining no matter whether Honda’;s new tiny hatch can fill its predecessor’;s huge shoes.

If the personal-transportation options of Americans were primarily based solely on require and practicality, we’d have a considerably narrower spectrum of automobiles on our roads. From the hundreds of models accessible now, we’d need to have just 4: 50-cc mopeds for single people, bitty 5-door hatchbacks for couples, minivans for bigger families, and pickups for those who pack nail guns or pilot a Ditch Witch. In truth, we’re quite confident this is how they do it in Europe.

If they ever put us in charge, the Honda Match will be mankind’s hatchback. Because it appeared on the scene in 2006, the fun-size Honda has been our reflexive recommendation for pretty significantly everybody on a spending budget, such as the old lady in the shoe. To date, this spacious, bodacious cube has pulled in 6 10Best trophies and 3 comparison-test wins. So its redesign for 2015 makes us nervous. Can the new Fit possibly live up to the untouchable regular set by the old?

Dressier interior fittings justify a slightly greater price tag.

It sits on a new platform, it’s powered by a new engine spinning new transmissions, and it wears a new look. That final point, at least, is a definite plus. For the very first time, aesthetics appear to have been a prime consideration in the Fit’s design and style. As with the styling of numerous minicars, it is polarizing. But the past 2 Fits haven’t polarized anyone they’ve looked dorky to everybody.

The 2015 Fit appears much bigger than its predecessor, but it is in fact the identical height, 1.6 inches shorter, and just .3 inch wider. The engorged appearance comes from a substantially decreased glass-to-body ratio. The greenhouse is shorter, even if the car itself is not. This provides the Match a much more substantial look. And it is more substantial, despite the fact that only slightly. This car’s curb weight of 2572 pounds is up 52 from the final Fit we tested. As far as vehicles are concerned, that’s just water w7

In spite of the small increase in mass, the car sees big gains in rigidity. It’s still a playful chassis for an reasonably priced stuff-shuffler. There’s small roll, and wheel and body motions are effectively controlled even when you smack a mid-corner bump. With out an available rear anti-roll bar like that on the outgoing Match Sport, the 2015 model isn’t very as neutral. But it’s enjoyable, and undoubtedly more so than any of the nonexistent vehicles that supply a Fit-sized interior at this value. The rack-mounted electric power-steering motor takes orders from a sturdier shaft whilst a modicum of feel remains, it’s a bit muted and less instant than ahead of, and this flattens the exciting on turn-in. Each the .79-g skidpad grip and 178-foot stopping distance are typical for its B-segment cohort (Chevy Sonic, Ford Fiesta, Mazda 2). But the brakes are actuated by a pedal that is squishier than the final Fit’s, once again sapping a touch of the old car’s charm.

There’s a shade much less zeal underhood, also. Even though far more potent, the engine is missing the touch of rasp that reminded its driver of other higher-profile VTEC screamers. It nevertheless displaces 1.5 liters, but that is about it for similarities among Fit engines new and old. Now it’s stuffed with direct injection and dual overhead cams (exactly where ahead of there was port injection and just 1 lobestick). In addition to i-VTEC’s dual-profile intake cam, the 1.5 packs VTC, or Variable Timing Handle, which retards intake valve timing at low rpm and advances it at higher engine speeds. New oil jets cool the undersides of the pistons, and the crankshaft has been lightened 27 percent by way of smaller journals and a 50-% reduction in counterweights, from 8 to 4. An extra 13 horsepower and 8 pound-feet of torque, for totals of 130 and 114, respectively, do not sound like much achieve for all of that work, but this is just a 1.5. That increase in energy and shorter gearing drop the zero-to-60-mph time from 8.4 seconds to 8.. At 16.2 seconds and 86 mph in the quarter-mile, the Fit would have outrun every single vehicle in our last comparison test of this class [“Appetizers,” November 2011]. Fuel economy with the manual hits 29 mpg city and 37 highway. Shifting mainly at the 6800-rpm redline, we logged 30 mpg.

Continued…

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Motorists want a lot more traffic officers

25/6/14

By Bob Taylor

As several as 60% of motorists think there are not adequate police officers on the road to enforce driving laws, according to an RAC survey.

More than half (51%) of drivers consider it is unlikely that motorists will ever get picked up for texting whilst stopped in traffic.

And 40 per cent reckon they stand little likelihood of becoming stopped by police for aggressive driving, the poll of 1,526 drivers identified.

The investigation also showed that only 29% think drivers will get into trouble for texting on the move even though 42% think it is unlikely.

24% consider tailgaters will be pulled more than

For the new offences of tailgating and middle lane-hogging only 24% and 22% respectively believe motorists are most likely to be pulled up by a targeted traffic officer.

The only offences motorists believe are dealt with effectively are the ones that are enforced by means of cameras such as speeding and traffic light violations.

A total of 45% reckon drivers are likely to get caught for speeding, even though 46% consider those running red lights will get caught.

Of these motorists questioned who have speeding points on their licences, 49% stated they had been trapped by a speed camera, although only 24% have been caught by a police officer.

67% break 70mph motorway limit

The survey, the 26th annual poll of its type by the RAC, also showed that 34% are concerned about other drivers talking on hand-held mobile phones and 22% are worried about other motorists breaking traffic laws generally.

In addition, 75% of motorists reported often seeing other people speaking on mobile phones, with 44% saying they see this taking place throughout most of their vehicle journeys. Yet only 8% of drivers admit to making use of a hand-held phone on most journeys.

On speeding, around 40% admitted breaking the speed limit on non-motorway routes, even though as a lot of as 67% owned up to exceeding the 70mph limit on motorways. A total of 70% of drivers supported raising the motorway limit to 80mph.

Potholes had been a worry for 41% of motorists in this year’;s survey, compared with 36 per cent last year, whilst 47% place the expense of fuel as their primary motoring concern in spite of reductions in rates at the pumps of late.

31% worried young children could be distracted by smartphones

As a lot of as 69% reckoned kids have been as safe, if not safer, on the roads than when they have been young but 31% have been worried that youngsters could get distracted by smartphones whilst making use of roads.

4 in 5 motorists felt uncomfortable driving on icy roads, with practically all (96%) avoiding driving in the snow if at all feasible. Younger drivers had been far more concerned about driving in wintry circumstances than older ones.

RAC technical director David Bizley stated: “Our research shows that millions of law-abiding motorists are frustrated with the reduction of site visitors police and believe that the chances of drivers getting pulled up for breaking the law are now minimal.

“Motorists are tired of continually seeing other drivers breaking the law and getting away with it so it is hardly surprising that they want to see a greater police presence on our roads to enforce motoring legislation a lot more successfully, which would also act as a genuine deterrent.”

Motorists want a lot more traffic officers

Are UK roads safer than ever?

The number of men and women killed on UK roads has been in steady decline for the ideal part of a decade, and the trend continued all through 2013 when the number of road deaths reached its lowest level because record started in 1926.

The most recent figures released by the Department for Transport show that, even though visitors levels remained roughly the very same amongst 2012 and 2013, the quantity of road fatalities dropped by 2% – and there was a 6% reduce in the number of individuals seriously injured on the roads.

Fatality prices

The stats show that there have been 1,713 individuals killed on UK roads last year, an typical of 4 people each day.

Whilst this sounds like a lot (and 1 is too many, of course), it is worth taking into consideration that just 8 years ago twice as many people were killed on UK roads on a day-to-day basis.

Overall, a total of 138,660 private injury road accidents of all severities have been reported to the police last year – the fewest reported accidents in a single year apart from 1926 and 1927, the 1st 2 years national records have been kept (when, naturally, there were far fewer vehicles on the road).

Here’s how 2013’s road casualties break down by road user…

*‘Other’ consists mainly of goods cars and bus and coach occupants. Percentages do not add up to 25% as a outcome of rounding.

Casualty breakdown

As in preceding years, automobile occupants made up the largest casualty group in 2013 – which makes sense as there are a lot more car occupants on the roads than any other sort of road user. Of the 1,713 men and women killed in road accidents, 785 (46%) were individuals in cars.

Nonetheless, as with all road casualties, the number of auto occupants killed on the road is also on the decline, down 2% on 2012 and by nearly half (44%) on the 2005-2009 average.

The quantity of vehicle occupants seriously injured fell by 7% in 2013 and there had been 8% fewer reported road casualties compared with 2012.

398 pedestrians were killed on UK roads last year, 5% fewer than in 2012, while the 4,998 pedestrians seriously injured represented a 10% drop on the 2012 figure.

And the number of children killed on the roads also dropped for the very first time 3 years, down 13% on 2012 and reversing a trend which saw an improve in the number of youngster fatalities across 2011 and 2012.

Motorcyclists and cyclists still at most threat

The news for motorcyclists and cyclists, even so, was not really as positive: the number of motorcycle users killed increased by 1% – up from 328 in 2012 to 331 in 2013 – the first improve given that 2006.

And although the number of cyclists killed on the roads dropped by 8% in 2103 – down to 109 from 118 in 2012 – cyclists fatality rates have fluctuated amongst 100 and 120 throughout the final 6 years, so it’s difficult to inform no matter whether this reduce is a one-off.

There was anything for cyclists to be good about, nevertheless, as the number of significant injuries dropped by 2% to 3,143 in 2013, the initial lower considering that 2004.

Are our roads receiving safer?

There are a quantity of causes why the quantity of men and women killed and seriously injured on our roads is in decline, a single of which, unsurprisingly for the UK, is the weather.

As far as rainfall goes, 2012 was the second wettest year on record and was considerably wetter than 2013, especially during the summer season months, which implies there would have been fewer vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists) on the roads during these months.

This indicates there has to be caution when dealing with number of motorcyclists and cyclists killed throughout 2013 as it is most likely there had been far more out on the roads in 2013 than there had been in 2012.

Cash troubles

A slightly more off-the-wall theory is the economic climate, as the 2 periods that have observed the most important fall in road deaths – 1990-94 and 2006-10 – have each coincided with the recessions of 1990-92 and 2008-09.

But it’s a fact that cars are receiving safer. Makers are getting to meet ever far more stringent safety criteria and this, coupled with improvements to the road ne2rk, will assist to reduce the severity and number of casualties when they do occur.

And it could also be the case that we’re all just becoming a nation of more considerate drivers: the proportion of drivers breaking the speed limit has decreased more than the final decade.

This signifies that not only are drivers more likely to keep away from accidents fully, these who are involved in a smash are significantly less probably to be killed or seriously injured as speed is a significant determinant of the severity of a collision.

Are UK roads safer than ever?

Video: Mark Higgins’s Full Record-Breaking Lap of Isle of Man TT Course!

The Isle of Man TT is no location for amateurs. Fortunately for him, Mark Higgins is the precise opposite of an amateur.

We have been there for his record-breaking lap in the course of the 2014 Isle of Man TT, and now you can ride along for the complete run and see what Higgins saw from his lightly modified 2015 Subaru WRX STI. The Isle of Man course is probably the most dangerous in the globe, and when Higgins set his preceding record in 2011, he seasoned a significant scare in 1 of the high-speed sections. He laid down this year’s time with significantly less drama, but that doesn’t make this drive any much less impressive.

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Video: Alfa Romeo 4C Eats Hay at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

June 27, 2014 at 4:58 pm by Nicholas Wallace | Photography by YouTube/Goodwood Road & Racing

Day 2 of the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed in England was held today, where a veritable cornucopia of amazing metal new and old went racing up the famed hill on Lord March’s estate. The hill-climb participants include, naturally, a pile of cars entered by manufacturers keen on showcasing their latest and greatest models in front of a petrol-blooded audience.

While accidents aren’t all that common at Goodwood, they do happen, and this Alfa Romeo 4C’s driver became intimately familiar with the hay bales lining the course. Fortunately, the damage was limited to cracked carbon fiber and a bruised ego, but we feel most for the passenger, who appeared to be having the time of his life until it all came to an abrupt end. Check it out the in video below, and then move forward or backward to see more of the amazing stuff from today’s event.

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Video: Alfa Romeo 4C Eats Hay at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

June 27, 2014 at 4:58 pm by Nicholas Wallace | Photography by YouTube/Goodwood Road & Racing

Day 2 of the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed in England was held nowadays, exactly where a veritable cornucopia of amazing metal new and old went racing up the famed hill on Lord March’s estate. The hill-climb participants consist of, naturally, a pile of vehicles entered by manufacturers keen on showcasing their latest and greatest models in front of a petrol-blooded audience.

Even though accidents aren’t all that frequent at Goodwood, they do take place, and this Alfa Romeo 4C’s driver became intimately familiar with the hay bales lining the course. Fortunately, the harm was restricted to cracked carbon fiber and a bruised ego, but we feel most for the passenger, who appeared to be obtaining the time of his life till it all came to an abrupt end. Check it out the in video under, and then move forward or backward to see more of the amazing stuff from today’s event.

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Licensed Insurance coverage Sales Agents – Now Hiring!

Insurox is seeking for Licensed Insurance Sales Agents for our agency/get in touch with center. Our agents are responsible for handling inbound and outbound telephone calls about our insurance product, quote perspectives and situation policies. This is a full time position.

About The Insurox: Insurox is a nationwide, on the web insurance coverage agency that has a portfolio of leading rated insurance coverage carriers that are utilized to quote consumers and prospects. A full service insurance coverage agency, Insurox specializes in all lines of private and industrial insurance.

Insurox is dedicated to revolutionizing the e-commerce insurance coverage industry by bringing the perks of a neighborhood independent agency and its “one-quit-shop” for numerous quotes to clients and prospects nationwide by way of the worldwide net.

Insurox is an equal opportunity employer and “at will” organization from Garfield, NJ.

Insurox is seeking client service oriented and motivated sales personnel that adore to close the deal!

For far more info pay a visit to http://www.insurox.com

Responsibilities Include But Not Restricted To:

• Answer inbound telephone calls for the business


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• Outbound calls to customers that have previously indicated they would like to hear about our product


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• Generating quotes, processing payments, endorsements, certificates of insurance coverage and so forth.


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• Responding promptly and professionally to our client’s wants


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• Ability to perform autonomously in our Garfield location.


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• Hours will match between 9 – 6 PM, Monday – Friday and will contain Saturdays also.



Job Needs:


• 3+years of P&C insurance experience


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• Sales particular person to the max! We’re searching for closers!


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• Superb Communication/interpersonal capabilities


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• Ability & Want to discover swiftly


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• Superb pc skills (Proficient in MS Outlook & MS Word) tech & social media savvy


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• Self-motivation and goal-orientation


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• Robust organizational, time management and comply with-through abilities


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• Bilingual


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• AMS360 expertise is plus



Job Perks:


• Sallary Based on encounter


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• Competitive Base Plus Commission


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• Operating with a little group in a young, promising company


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• Paid Holidays


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• 401K









Licensed Insurance coverage Sales Agents – Now Hiring!