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Four big pickups get low marks in crash tests

Four 2009 full-sized pickups got low marks in side-impact crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a research group for auto insurers. Crash protection is "poor" in crew-cab versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and Nissan Titan without side-impact airbags, according to test results the institute released on Wednesday. The Dodge Ram with standard side-impact airbags got only a "marginal" rating, the institute said.

Parents ignoring school run safety rules

MORE THAN a third of parents who drive their children to school think it is acceptable to stop or park on school safety zigzag lines, with a quarter admitting to doing so, according to research from AXA Car Insurance. Furthermore, 88% of school-run parents have witnessed fellow motorists stopping in the restricted zigzag area at least once a week. Zigzag lines prohibit waiting, parking or stopping for any reason during school run times, and yet only 17% of adults in the survey knew that.

Parking fines hit £30 per month

BRITISH motorists pay more than £30 million each month in parking fines, figures suggest. More tickets are being issued this year by councils than last year and there has been a 13% rise in fines issued on a Sunday, according to data obtained by LV=. The car insurer calculated councils have handed out more than 890,000 parking fines per month in 2013 - a 4% increase on 2012 figures - and, based on an average amount of £42 per ticket and excluding any successful appeals, drivers are now paying in excess of £30 million each month.