Would YOU Go Green?

By London_Nick Last edited 215 months ago
Would YOU Go Green?
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Research by motor insurer, MORE TH>N, reveals Conservative leader David Cameron’s call to reduce traffic in the school run would save lives and that many motorists would switch to hybrid cars given the right incentives.

Keith Maxwell, motor insurance manager for insurer MORE TH>N comments:

“From our own research we know that British motorists are already considering changing their driving habits. Registrations of hybrid vehicles increased by three-quarters from 2004 to 20052, demonstrating a very real rise in the demand for eco-friendly vehicles. Any incentives to further encourage drivers to make the switch must be welcomed.”

Cameron is expected to specifically target the school run by pushing for more school buses, as concerns about health, safety and its environmental impact grow. MORE TH>N’s Motoring Risk Report3 found that as well as being a major contributor to carbon emissions, motor accidents during the school run period cause almost 7,000 deaths and injuries a year with nearly 200 of these deaths being children.

Maxwell continues:

“The school run has taken over the rush hour, creating congestion and increasing the chances of having an accident, as well as having a significant impact on the environment. Plans to provide alternatives for parents who currently drive their children to school hold a potential ‘double whammy’ for the environment and road safety – just a 10% reduction in school commuting by car could prevent 190 deaths and injuries a year – that’s one for every school day.”

MORE TH>N’s research among 1,500 motorists found that one in six people (16%) would consider following the likes of eco-friendly celebrities Gwyneth Paltrow and Orlando Bloom by trading in their current vehicle for an electric or hybrid car. If prices were to rise significantly, over a third of motorists said they would cycle or walk more short journeys and one in three (30%) would switch to public transport.

With the Government Car Service and Ken Livingstone using Toyota Prius "hybrid" cars (like Larry David's on Curb Your Enthusiasm), and David Cameron's slightly posher Lexus hybrid car, it seems that hybrid is the way forward. What do you think? Would you go green with your car? Do you even bother driving a car in the city? Your comments, please.

Last Updated 26 April 2006