Be careful not to crash this Sunday

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With the recent nationwide deep-freeze¹ plus a lack of daylight hours associated with the month of January, esure car insurance is urging motorists to make sure they're prepared for this month's hazardous, wintery driving conditions.

esure’s in house claims statistics² show that motorists are nearly twice as likely to have an accident in January when compared to the rest of the year and those motorists are more likely to have an accident on the 18th of the month - making Sunday 18th January the worst day for car accidents.

Top 5 'worst' days for car accidents³

18th January - 68 per cent increase from average claims
12th December - 60 per cent increase from average claims
19th December - 30 per cent increase from average claims
28th January - 30 per cent increase from average claims
3rd March - 30 per cent increase from average claims

Top 5 'safest' days for car accidents⁴

30th December - 25 per cent decrease from average claims
28th August - 24 per cent decrease from average claims
27th August - 22 per cent decrease from average claims
9th April - 22 per cent decrease from average claims
26th August - 20 per cent decrease from average claims

January is a notoriously bad month for motoring accidents, poor weather and higher traffic volumes which delay many commuters on their journey to work according to research⁵ by esure. Over half of motorists questioned (58 per cent) admit that they have been late for work at least twice a week, due to weather-related motoring issues.

The top reasons for being late included; spending extra time in the morning defrosting or de-misting the car (68 per cent), contending with bad weather - heavy rain, strong winds, snow, fog (62 per cent), overcoming icy road conditions (51 per cent), more traffic on the road (39 per cent) and accidents en route (38 per cent).

Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at esure car insurance, said: "Winter is a notoriously bad time for motorists with January the most treacherous month for drivers. Motorists should take extra care and must adapt their driving style according to the road and weather conditions.

Allowing extra time in the morning to prepare their cars and extra time for their actual journeys are both crucial. Common sense needs to prevail to reduce the number of accidents during winter - slow down, stay alert, stay calm and stay in control."

Research commissioned by esure⁶ projects that over 6 million UK drivers (20 per cent) have experienced an accident while driving in icy weather conditions, so esure has put together some simple steps to help motorists stay accident-free:

Keep your distance. The normal two-second gap between cars should be doubled in bad weather.
Avoid sudden braking and where possible change down a gear to use the braking power of the cars engine.
Do not jam your foot down on the brake to stop suddenly. Instead tap the brake pedal repeatedly in a pumping motion.
In a skid, take your foot off the brake and turn into the skid.
Plan ahead by checking weather and travel conditions. If the forecast is bad consider alternative transport.

Winter also sees an increase in the number of breakdowns so it's vital that drivers carry out regular maintenance checks on their vehicles. esure advises drivers to bear in mind the following tips:

Check fluids regularly and make sure the anti-freeze/water solution in the radiator is at the optimum 50/50 mix.
Defrost your car fully before driving but never leave your car running without you in it. This is an open invitation to thieves and could invalidate your insurance.
Keep your petrol tank at least half-full at all times to prevent your petrol pipe freezing up.
Keep a winter driving survival kit in your car, including a spare tyre, jump leads, a bottle of anti-freeze, an ice scraper, a torch, a warm jumper and some high-calorie snacks.
Make sure you have breakdown assistance cover.

-ends-

esure's press contacts:

Asia Manzoor, Public Relations Officer: 01737 641305
Niki Bolton, Corporate Communications Manager: 01737 235070
Emma Lloyd, Assistant Communications Officer: 01737 641309
Adrian Webb, Head of Corporate Communications: 01737 641000
Email: pr@esure.com
An ISDN line is available for radio interviews

Notes to Editors:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7814922.stm
The analysis was based on esure's claims statistics 2003 - 2007 www.flyresearch.com
The analysis was based on esure's claims statistics over the last five years.
The analysis was based on esure's claims statistics over the last five years.
esure used the independent online research company Fly Research which interviewed a random sample of 1,000 drivers aged 18+ between 1st November 2008 and 3rd November 2008. Interviews were conducted across the UK via an online questionnaire. Fly Research is an online market research company. Its researchers are members of the MRS and Esomar, and abide by their guidelines.
esure used the independent online research company MyVoice which interviewed a random sample of 1,000 drivers aged 18+ between 1st January 2008 and 5th January 2008. Interviews were conducted across the UK via an online questionnaire.

About esure:

esure was launched in 2001. The company offers car, home, pet and travel insurance over the internet and by phone. esure also offers car insurance cover through the brands Halifax, Sainsbury's, Sheilas' Wheels and more recently home insurance through the Sheilas' Wheels brand.

Sponsorship:

esure has secured two of the UK's most iconic sponsorships: the ITV National and Channel 4 Weather bulletins.

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