Motorists Worry About Safety On The School Run

AS THE start of new school term approaches, the latest research from BCA, a leading vehicle remarketing company, reveals the pressures faced by parents - and other motorists - on school run routes. Both parents and non-parents were surveyed and with nearly half (45%) of non-parents saying they drive by schools or use the same route as parents dropping off their children, it's clear that school runs create some significant pinch-points. Key findings: 46% of all motorists believe parents drive their children to school because it takes too long to walk 30% of non-parents believe children demand to be driven to school, compared to just 17% of parents Over a third (38%) of all motorists think unreliable public transport prompts parents to drive children to school More than half (57%) of motorists see illegal parking outside of school gates 44% of have seen parents and children not looking at oncoming traffic when opening car doors Both parents and non-parents were most in favour of schools creating drop-off areas to tackle congestion and parking issues during the school run at 52% and 57% respectively 29% of parents think police officers should be on patrol to tackle parking issues during the school run Parents in Northern Ireland are most likely to drive their children to school, topping the list at 51%, followed by families in the North East and West Midlands at 39%.

Mercedes Wows Goodwood With Dramatic Event Centerpiece

AS IS traditional at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, one of the event’s main attractions is the centerpiece display in front of Goodwood House itself. Used to celebrate a particular manufacturer and event theme, this year saw Mercedes take centre stage with a dramatic interpretation of the firm’s 120-year motorsport anniversary celebrations. Created by artist Gerry Judah, the sculpture is said to be the most complex and ambitious yet.

Concept Car of the Week: BMW Turbo (1972)

Built by Michelotti in Turin and unveiled at the 1972 Paris motor show, the BMW Turbo was built both as a symbol of the carmaker's strength after its troubles in the ‘60s and as a celebration of that summer's Olympic Games in Munich. This two-door coupe, based on a modified 2002 chassis with a mid-mounted engine, was born when BMW's design director Paul Bracq convinced the board to let him design a concept that would be part design exercise, part technology testbed. Safety had become an increasingly important consideration following a number of design summits in the early ‘70s, and Bracq used the Turbo to test out a number of safety solutions.