How clean is your car?

Esure warns of dangers for UK's 'too posh to wash' and 'too busy to bin' drivers.

(03 November 2004)

In the wake of Kim and Aggie's hit series' "Too Posh to Wash" and "How Clean is your House?", new research from esure, the UK's fastest growing car insurer ever, has revealed that the next question on everyone's lips ought to be: "How Clean is your Car?"

Esure has asked drivers, in an independent ICM poll*, about the cleanliness of their vehicles, and the survey revealed an outbreak of rubbish and grime on Britain's roads, with 11.5 million motorists** admitting to driving around in potentially hazardous untidy and dirty cars.

A no-go zone.

As a nation, we are conditioned to the idea that our homes should be clean and hygienic, but it seems millions of our cars still leave a lot to be desired. Over 5 million drivers (17%) admitted to giving their car a scrub only a few times a year. However, the heart of the problem is not the bodywork, but the interior...

7.2 million drivers (23%) say they only clean out the inside of their cars once or twice a year.

Almost 2 million drivers (6%) admitted to hardly ever, if at all, cleaning inside their cars.

Not only are millions ....cont/

guilty of a general 'failure-to-clean' but the survey also revealed that many of us are letting remnants of a junk-food diet pile up around us behind the wheel.

12.2 million drivers (39%) leave food wrappers and rubbish lying around all over their vehicles.

10.6 million drivers (34%) keep used soft drinks cans and bottles in their car.

This last habit is potentially the most dangerous as cans and bottles can be lethal to the driver and other road-users if they roll under the brake or clutch.

Hold your nose...

5 million motorists (16%) admitted to leaving used sports kit to fester in their car.
The problem is worse among younger drivers - 22% keep their sports kit in their cars.

Junkyard jalopy

Esure's research also shows that drivers are using their cars as mobile cupboards for hoarding possessions that are unwanted or won't fit at home. These items could prove to be an additional temptation to thieves:

21.2 million motorists (68%) stockpile CD's, mini-discs or tapes.

13.4 million motorists (43%) keep tools and DIY equipment in the car.

6.2 million (20%) use their cars as a mobile wardrobe, keeping spare clothes and shoes on the back seat. ....cont/

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almost 6 million (19%) make sure they're never caught out when hunger strikes by keeping a supply of snacks and drinks in the car.

almost 2 million (6%) ensure they always look their best behind the wheel by storing a ready supply of make up - and it's not just the women - 4% of male respondents admitted to hiding away cosmetics in their cars.

Dirt and driving: the facts.

Having an untidy or dirty car is not only off-putting and unpleasant for your passengers, but the Highway Code actually states that drivers MUST:

Keep their windscreens and windows clean and free from obstructions to vision.

Keep lights, indicators, reflectors and number plates clean and clear.

Ensure items of luggage are securely stowed.

Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at esure says:

"In some countries, it is actually illegal to drive a dirty car. Here in the UK, you might think that someone writing "Clean Me" message in the grime is the worst that can happen. Not so. You can find yourself in trouble with the police if your car is so dirty you can't see out or your number plate isn't clear.

"External dirt can also make it more difficult to spot potential problems:...cont/

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stone chips and rust spots are less visible and the longer they are left the more serious, and expensive, the repair job can become.

"Finally, many spend a good chunk of their lives in their cars but no-one should keep belongings on the back seat, or leave bottles, cans and wrappers lying around. Anything that can roll on the floor of your car could cause you to cause an accident as they can easily roll under the driver's seat and become wedged beneath the clutch or brake pedals - a simple oversight, but also potentially fatal."

Notes - Sources:

* ICM Research interviewed a random selection of 1008 adults aged 18+, by telephone between 8th - 10th October 2004.

** Based on 31.2 million road vehicles with current licences, sourced from Department For Transport 'Road Casualties Great Britain 2003' 04/10/04.

About esure

Esure is a joint venture between Peter Wood and the HBOS group. The company was launched in 2000. It offers car, home and travel insurance over the internet and telephone and is the UK's fastest growing car insurer ever. The company employs nearly 1,600 staff and has offices in Surrey, Manchester and Glasgow.