Over 24 Million Brits Driving Dirty Cars
Over 24 million British motorists1 are driving around in cluttered, dirty cars which could potentially be dangerous according to new research from LV=.
The study revealed the days of car owners lovingly washing their pride and joy every weekend are long gone – with just 11% cleaning their car every week. Over half a million drivers even admitted they had never cleaned their car.
Worryingly, Brits complacency is not just about how their vehicles look. Over half of all drivers (55%) admitted not checking their windscreens were clean before setting off on their journey. Furthermore, eight in ten (84%) drivers said they don't check if they have enough windscreen wash, 81% don't check their headlights and 63% don't check their wing mirrors are clean prior to pulling away.
Woman drivers were found to be worse at making these checks than men with 14% neglecting to do any of the checks compared to just 11% of men.
Brits are not only driving around in dirty cars on the outside, their vehicles are filled with rubbish on the inside too - with only 13% claiming their cars were clutter free zones. Over a third of drivers (36%) declared that they did not care about the appearance of their car.
Women tend to hoard more belongings in their cars than men. Popular items that they leave in their cars include CDs, books, maps, clothes, make-up, food and drink containers, magazines, MP3 players, sunglasses, shoes and children's toys.
The only items found more commonly in a man's car were chargers for gadgets such as mobiles and sat nav systems.
Despite the fact that nearly one in eight (13%) British drivers admit to being genuinely embarrassed by the state of their car clutter and more than a quarter (28%) drivers think they drive better in a cleaner car – many still refuse to clean their vehicles.
Emma Holyer, motor spokesperson for LV= commented: "Making sure that your windscreen, lights and mirrors are clean before setting off on a journey should be second nature to motorists, but our research shows that this doesn't appear to be the case despite it being a legal requirement.
"Keeping loose items in the car could lead to avoidable accidents such as rubbish getting trapped under the pedals whilst you are driving. Not to mention the fact that items such as mp3 players, clothes and sunglasses may attract all sorts of unwanted attention that could put your car at risk of theft. So cleaning out your car frequently is not only easier on the eye, but safer and easier on the pocket too."
