Motorists Want New In-car Safety Features to Halt Rise in Serious and Fatal Road Accidents

LONDON, August 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

In the wake of escalating insurance costs and a rise in serious and fatal road accidents, a new report shows that motorists want car manufacturers to install new in-car technology to boost safety in all models.

The research, commissioned by leading car finance specialists, Car Loan 4U reveals that almost 40 per cent of motorists want in-car detectors fitted that show alcohol blood levels, while over a third of motorists want to see cameras installed in all new cars to provide recorded evidence of accidents. 

A further one in three motorists want to see the sat navs placed higher up in cars, so drivers don't have to glance down and one in four motorists would like to see more voice-activated controls.  When it comes to mobile phones, one in ten motorists has difficulty in hooking up their phone to their car for handsfree.

Worryingly, one in five motorists say in-car technology stops them paying full attention to driving and believe gadgets such as touch screens, entertainment systems and sat navs are too complicated to use in many vehicles.

Figures released last month from the Department of Transport shows that the annual number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents has increased to 1,901 in 2011 from 1,850 in 2010, the first annual rise since 2003. Serious injuries increased from 24,510 to 25,022 in the same period, the first annual rise since 1994.

Car Loan 4U Co-Director Ryan Dignan comments: "The statistics are worrying when you consider that the trend for the last 17 years has been downwards and during this period we have seen major improvements in vehicle safety.  However, our research shows that motorists want to see new technology introduced into new cars like built in breathalysers and modifications to Sat Nav and entertainment systems to improve driver safety.

"It is the case that cars are getting safer and safer all of the time. But they are falling down on the driver and passenger interfaces with new technology. Some of these systems are so complex and baffling, they can prove very distracting for drivers trying to use them."

For further information please visit http://www.carloan4u.co.uk.