Car Accidents > News
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rear End Car Accidents Costing Insurers GBP500m A Year
Tue, 14 Jul 2009

Nearly half a million UK motorists claim for rear-end bumps on an annual basis, costing the motor insurance industry over half a billion pounds, new figures have revealed.

According to car accident statistics from insurance group Admiral, there are 420,000 rear-end collisions in the UK every year, accounting for one in four of all road accidents in Britain.

The insurer estimates such accidents cost insurance firms £500 million in car repairs and personal injury claims, including claims for whiplash, which affects one in ten drivers involved in rear-end bumps.

Admiral blamed the high number of rear-end accident claims on "aggressive" motorists who drive too close to the car in front.

Sue Longthorn, managing director at the firm, said: "Rear end bangs and shunts are all too common on our roads. I think this is indicative of how many of us drive."

"On main roads, many drivers don’t leave enough space between themselves and the car in front, so if that car brakes, they hit them in the rear."

"The stopping distance at 40 mph is 36 metres, the equivalent of nine car lengths."

She added: "In built-up areas, where traffic is so slow moving, people tend to get frustrated and drive a little too aggressively."

"When they do this there is more of a chance they will bump the car in front."
add to favouritesnewsletterlink to this pagesend to friendpost comments

Link to this page

Copy and Paste the following HTML into your page.