According to tests carried out by NRMA Insurance, each glance at the phone while texting takes an average of 1.4 seconds, with the vehicle covering 22m when travelling at 60km/h.

Tests were carried out on a closed road with 10 drivers aged 20 to 54 texting “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”. The driver’s faces were filmed with the test revealing participants glancing at their phone an average of 38 times.

All states have penalties for illegal talking or texting on a mobile while driving, but that didn’t stop more than 200,000 drivers last year – and those are just the ones who were caught in four states. In New South Wales, almost 40,000 drivers were caught illegally talking or texting on mobile phones in the past year. The NSW fine for illegal mobile phone use is $253 and three demerit points.

Almost 40,000 drivers were caught in Victoria, where the penalty is $234 and three demerit points. About 30,000 Queensland drivers were caught, each one risking a fine of $300 and three demerit points. About the same number of South Australian drivers were also caught, with their penalties being up $218 and or three demerit points.

In Western Australia the fine is $250 with three demerit points and in Tasmania it has recently been increased from $110 to $300 and from two to three points. NRMA Insurance spokesperson Robert McDonald said it was risky doing anything else while driving, such as eating or drinking or smoking. “We clearly have an appetite for mobile phones and the convenience of immediate communication,” he said. “But we need to resist the urge of sending or reading a text message while at the wheel. It’s not only dangerous for the driver, but also for everyone else in their car or on the road around them.”

Young drivers are more likely to illegally use mobile phones while driving. A national online study has found more than half (52 per cent) of drivers aged 30 to 39 admitted using their mobiles while driving, compared with one in three (37 per cent) for those under 30. The figure dropped to one in four (24 per cent) for over 40s. Men (36 per cent) were more likely than women (29 per cent) to chat while driving.

Thanks to original article poster

More than one in three cars is stolen during the morning in New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia, according to the data from car insurance company Budget Direct.

The exception is Victoria, where 30 per cent of cars are stolen during midweek evenings.  Budget Direct spokesperson Richelle Ward says it is surprising to see how many vehicles were stolen in broad daylight.

“One might think thieves would prefer to operate through the night, which is simply not the case,” Ward says.  The data shows that thieves also like the cold weather with most thefts occurring in the winter months around the nation, except for Queensland where summer is the most popular with thieves.

Tasmania’s crime peak is in September which accounts for almost one in three car thefts. The same month accounts for 25 per cent of thefts in South Australia, while Western Australia’s peak month is April with 20 per cent of thefts.

Throughout the nation the most popular vehicle for thieves is the Holden Commodore which has also been the top seller for the past decade and most vehicles are stolen on a Monday.

However, in Western Australia, the Ford Falcon is twice as popular among thieves as the second biggest target, the Toyota Camry.  Budget Direct data also show almost half of all accidents across the nation occur between noon and 6pm on a Friday.  Ward says the accident data indicates a trend for drivers to switch off after a long week’s work.

Thanks to original article poster

Who do you dislike most on the road? Let us know in the comments box below if you agree with these survey results, and which area you come from.  An east coast online survey conducted for insurance provider Budget Direct has revealed that taxis are the number one dislike on Sydney roads with 30 per cent, followed by 28 per cent for cyclists and 27 per cent for trucks.

In Melbourne, 36 per cent voted cyclists their number one dislike followed by trucks with 26 per cent and taxis with 23 per cent.  Budget Direct spokesperson Richelle Ward said said Sydneysiders’ dislike for taxis was likely to be due to the number of them on the city’s roads.

“There are an awful lot of taxis in Sydney and with that increased amount taxis drivers feel like they can dominate the road and pull in and out of traffic,” she said.  “As for trucks, they just make drivers nervous around them.  “They also can be difficult to pass and they reduce your visibility on the road.”

In Melbourne and Brisbane cyclists were top of the list with one in three rating them their top dislike.  One in four disliked trucks and as little as 23 per cent of Melbournites disliked taxis and only 14 per cent in Brisbane.

Ward said the lack of patience displayed towards cyclists was alarming, especially considering how vulnerable and exposed riders are.  “Even though cyclists are not licensed they still have to abide by the road rules and they do have a right to be on the road,” she said.

“The consequences for cyclists are as great as they are for motorcycles, perhaps more so, because of the lack of protection provided and drivers often being unaware of their presence.”  While the survey did not provide specific information about what road behaviour attracted motorists’ ire, Ward said the biggest grievance was about any road user performing illegal activity or slowing them down.

“From past research, the biggest problem with bikes is the fact that they are difficult to be seen and that makes drivers  nervous,” she said.  “I think some people also feel that cyclists should be held responsible for wrong doing like going through a red light and stop sign.”

She said that at Christmas time, the volume of traffic was increasing and tempers likely to be frayed.  “That’s why it’s important that drivers display more patience towards other road users,” she said.

“While people are understandably tired after a long year, and being on the roads for extended periods of time can be frustrating and difficult, all vehicles have a right to be using the road so please be patient.”

Thanks to original article poster

Among all of the states in the US, California holds the distinction of having the most exotics and supercars roaming around the streets. After all, the glitz and glamour that comes with being in California affords most people the moolah to get their hands on one.

So it comes with a tinge of irony that three of the biggest exotic makers – Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Bentley – have all decided to skip the LA Auto Show

The news that three of the most prestigious manufacturers have decided to pass on LA when a spokesperson for the event told the Detroit Bureau that the decisions by Bentley, Ferrari and Lamborghini to skip LA hinged on the fact that they’ve decided to ‘put their resources to better use’.
Translation: “We don’t want to incur any unnecessary expenditures, like showing up for an event like the LA Auto Show.

Continued after the jump.

Ferrari, Bentley and Lamborghini to skip the LA Auto Show originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 23 November 2009 14:13 EST.

read more

Thanks to original article poster