The latest from The Green Insurer, who claim they are seeing a shift in driving habits as insurance premiums rise, more LEZ schemes target older petrol or diesel vehicles, plus general inflation means less disposable income for trips out by car. Here are the findings from a survey of just over 1000 people;
Nearly two out of three (65%) UK motorists have changed their driving habits in response to a combination of the cost of living crisis, driving schemes such as ULEZ and the climate emergency, finds new research from The Green Insurer, which is focused on helping drivers reduce carbon emissions and drive in a more environmentally friendly way. Almost half (44%) of drivers taking action have reduced the number of miles they drive while 34% are either driving more slowly or more carefully to preserve fuel. Other measures include using public transport (14%), replacing short journeys with walking or cycling (18%) and using more of their car’s features such as cruise control or speed limiters (9%).
Almost 3-in-10 (29%) drivers say they plan to reduce mileage still further in the next 12 months, and 23% plan to drive more slowly or carefully.
NO MENTION OF WORKING FROM HOME
The main reason that motorists give for making changes in their driving habits is the impact of the cost of living crisis and the need to save money (64%), closely followed by a desire to help the environment (63%), a determination to reduce pollution (51%) and plans to improve fitness (47%). The introduction of schemes such as ULEZ has had a direct effect on the driving habits of 8% of motorists, rising to 25% of drivers in London.
The greatest benefit delivered by changing driving habits is the cost-savings made on petrol or diesel, according to 66% of motorists, followed by feeling healthier through walking or cycling more (38%), saving money on the running costs of a car (32%), feeling more positive about impacts on the environment (28%) and saving money on insurance through lower mileage (10%).
IE Comment;
It’s interesting that none of the responses mention working from homw, which is surely the biggest reason for the drop in commuter traffic. During school holidays many UK roads are much quieter than a decade ago, as the only reason for driving between 7.30-9am is ferrying children to school, or attending an education site. Anyone who drives now can see that weekends are actually busier on many arterial routes, as all the WFH people knock off Friday lunchtime and head off somewhere. There has been a fundamental change in the pattern of daily life for anyone who does not have to attend a place of work, that certainly isn’t changing.
The Green Insurer continues;
Changes adopted in the last 12 months are likely to be here to stay: 66% say that changes or planned changes to driving habits will be long-lasting, compared to 12% who say they will be temporary and 21% who are not sure.
Paul Baxter, CEO, The Green Insurer, said: “A cocktail of different factors, including the need to save money, improve fitness and reduce environmental impacts, is clearly encouraging most of us to find ways we can adopt change. The good news is that policies like ours are designed to achieve all of those goals with a single solution, which rewards more careful driving with lower premiums, while also providing insights into how drivers are reducing carbon emissions.”
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