In a frightening piece of research from Marks & Spencer Car Insurance, it was revealed that many drivers who pick up their shiny cars from the garage forecourt do not fully understand how they work.

The research coincided with the new ‘10’ registration plate vehicles which were out on sale on 1 March, 2010.

And Marks & Spencer are worried.

A spokesperson said:
“Whether it’s a brand new car or a used vehicle, most garages should talk you through a vehicle before you drive it away. To avoid taking risks and potentially causing an accident, it is important to take time to familiarize yourself with the features of a car that’s new to you.”

Their report shows that only just over 10% of drivers will fully examine the car’s manual before setting off for the first time.

What’s more, well over a third of drivers taking their new car out for a first spin, don’t even turn one page of the manual. And just over a half give if the merest glance whilst flicking through the pages.

And what might surprise many, is that women and more guilty of this than men. The research found out that some 40% of woman drive away without consulting the manual, as opposed to around 30% of men.

Such is the supposed confidence of many men, some 20%, that they rely on figuring out the controls as they drive, which does little for concerns over safety as they no doubt drive whilst ‘fiddling’ their way around various essential items like windscreen wipers, lights and music player.

But the research goes on to point out that perhaps a little more manual studying might be a good idea, because a list was created of the top ten issues that car drivers have to grapple with when they get into a new car, or indeed, one that is unfamiliar to them.

The top of that list is headed by that old chestnut of trying to find the handle to release the bonnet, which can try even the most determined of drivers.

Next comes the in-car music centre, which in some modern cars can take a day’s reading of its own manual just to get working properly.

A little less irksome, but still trying, is how to alter the drivers seat position, which many drivers appear to try and adjust whilst moving; never a good idea.

Fourth is trying to find the switch to operate the side lights and headlights and fifth is locating the windscreen wipers.

So be warned, if that car in front has just been bought, then give the driver plenty of room.

Guest Article by Neil Camp

Compare car insurance quotes online and save money using our easy comparison tool

Let’s be honest, at the moment, if you’re in the market for anything, especially products from the financial services and insurance sectors, then you’ve never had it so good.

Mainly because the power has returned to the consumer. Not only are there are a large number of companies out there trying to sell you goods and services, but never before has so much comparison between companies and their products taken place.

Companies can no longer hide. Their price, as well as a description of exactly what they offer, can instantly be compared with a load of other companies. What’s more, there are often comments on what other people thought of them.

This gives people a tremendous power; one that has not been exercised before. It’s as though the internet offers you a complete market in which you can browse from product to product, taking in almost everything on offer, then hear what others have to say and then, choosing the best for you.

What the internet has done, and more particularly comparison sites, is give you everything at your fingertips to make a very informed decision. You no longer have the excuse to make a mistake, to say that there wasn’t time to find the best deal. And it can almost be a fun task to find the product that suits you, at a price that suits you, then show you what you are saving. How cool is that?

And the key with comparison sites is to build your profile properly. The more accurately you describe yourself and what you need in the way of insurance, the better the comparison site will be able to provide you with the best deal. But one word of caution, don’t always just plumb for the lowest. Okay, that’s what you’re after, to pay the least amount given your personal circumstances, but bear in mind that the companies offering their products are not daft.

Let’s take car insurance for example. There are hundreds of companies that offer car insurance and they know full well that people will be comparing their prices alongside most of the competition. So you can quickly work out which companies are keen on particular sectors within the car insurance market. For example, some car insurance companies work hard at attracting the older driver and will therefore be very competitive at certain age brackets. They will then almost bid themselves out of the twenty something market by quoting uncompetitively high prices. You can soon spot the trends.

What’s more, you might get a quote ten pounds cheaper, but fail to realise that the higher quote might contain a few more incentives, such as free breakdown cover, a replacement car, or some other deal which could actually save you a lot more money than the ten pounds you might save on the original quote.

With car insurance comparison tools, it’s best to be canny.

A good car insurance comparison site needs to allow you to compare car insurance across a number of areas, including for example online car insurance, budget car insurance, new car insurance and young driver car insurance.

It has to be simple and quick, with a registration process and a questionnaire about your personal profile that insurers need to build their quotes (including age, address, car type, and business/social use).

It should be able to quote from at least 50 separate insurers and not only give you a price, but show you how much you can save on your current quote.

In short, a good car insurance comparison site is not only good fun to use, but can save you a lot of money in the bargain for a policy that closely matches your particular needs.

Guest Article by Neil Camp