April 2012

• 30/04/2012 - Ministers to get tough on whiplash claims - Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has vowed to clamp down on bogus whiplash claims in a move which could have a positive impact on car insurance costs in the future.

• 30/04/2012 - Downpours put UK on flood alert -Parts of Britain have been warned about rising water levels and the high risk of flooding following a deluge of heavy rain over the weekend.

• 30/04/2012 - Trustworthy neighbours 'important' - A quarter of people interviewed for a new survey said having trustworthy neighbours is crucial to feeling secure at home.

• 27/04/2012 - Driver collides with tiredness sign - A lorry driver fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a sign instructing drivers to take regular stops, a court has heard.

• 27/04/2012 - Warning over diesel car running costs - A study has revealed that many people are wrongly buying diesel cars because they believe them to be more economical.

• 27/04/2012 - Fears over puppy microchip plans - Plans to microchip puppies as part of the fight against dangerous dogs will hit middle-class pet owners but have little impact on illegally-bred animals, an MP has claimed.

• 26/04/2012 - Lamborghini Reventon to be sold - One of the world's rarest supercars will go under the hammer this summer, so form an orderly queue those performance car enthusiasts with deep pockets.

• 26/04/2012 - Flood fears prompt electrical advice - The Electrical Safety Council (ESC) has issued advice to residents in flood-threatened areas as the lousy weather is expected to continue into next month.

• 26/04/2012 - Heavy rainfall causes car damage - Car insurance providers will be expecting a flood of claims after heavy rainfall and strong gusts of wind across England and Wales caused widespread vehicle damage.

• 25/04/2012 - Look out for bikes, drivers urge - Motoring experts have issued new safety tips for driving on busy roads.

• 25/04/2012 - Balls calls for freeze on fuel duty - Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has called on George Osborne to abandon a rise in fuel duty scheduled for a few months' time.

• 25/04/2012 - Tyre firm in winter weather warning - Winter might seem like a long way off, but tyre firms are already preparing for possible cold weather.

• 24/04/2012 - Fuel tanker drivers to resume talks - Talks are set to resume in the latest bid to avoid a strike by fuel tanker drivers.

• 24/04/2012 - Dog rescues trapped canine friend - A brave dog has stunned firefighters by rescuing a fellow canine who was trapped inside a drainpipe.

• 24/04/2012 - Newcastle students make Granny-Nav - The Intelligent Transport team at Newcastle University is working on a "Granny-Nav" device and other new technology to try and assist older motorists.

• 23/04/2012 - Compulsory pet microchips planned - The Government is set to announce a plan that would make it a legal requirement for pets to be fitted with microchips.

• 23/04/2012 - Government targets insurance costs - Targeting uninsured drivers and beefing up the skills of young motorists will be priorities for the Department for Transport (DfT) in the wake of a Transport Select Committee report on the cost of motor insurance.

• 23/04/2012 - First-time buyers 'on the rise' - The first-time buyer market reached a 10-month peak during March, with the number of people taking their first steps onto the ladder accounting for 24% of sales.

• 20/04/2012 - Misplaced car keys? Talk to yourself - Rather than face having to call your car insurance company because you've misplaced your car keys, it may actually help to start talking to yourself out loud instead.

• 20/04/2012 - Families support 20mph speed limits - More than four out of five parents are in favour of 20mph speed limits around homes, schools and shops, a new survey has revealed.

• 20/04/2012 - Street thefts up 10%, figures show - Pick-pocketing and street theft has soared by 10%, despite the fact crime levels overall remained unchanged.

• 19/04/2012 - End of the line reached for Lada Riva - The Lada Riva has been a regular sight on British roads for more than 40 years, however that is set to become a thing of the past.

• 19/04/2012 - Owner appeal after cat's 20ft fall - A cat has survived a 20ft fall into a basement in West Lothian and an appeal has been launched to find its owners.

• 19/04/2012 - Drivers warned of iPod dangers - Motorists should enjoy the sound of the radio while at the wheel rather than using an iPod, according to new research on car safety.

• 18/04/2012 - Carbon emissions 'plummet for new cars' - Carbon dioxide emissions from new cars have dramatically declined, falling by almost a quarter in the past decade, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

• 18/04/2012 - Drivers warned of 'paint scratch con' - Motorists are being warned about the latest car scam designed to steal unsuspecting drivers' vehicles from under their noses.

• 18/04/2012 - Car owners warned over key thefts - Hertfordshire residents have been warned about the threat posed by thieves targeting high performance vehicles in the county.

• 17/04/2012 - Young drivers 'take risk with phones' - One in 10 young motorists does not consider driving when using a mobile phone to be dangerous, according to research.

• 17/04/2012 - Expert tips on avoiding potholes - Motorists are being advised on how to best deal with potholes, following a Government review which found they plague Britain's roads.

• 17/04/2012 - Warning over Cup final train travel - Liverpool fans making their way to the FA Cup final on May 5 are likely to be blighted by engineering works on the railways, it has been revealed.

• 16/04/2012 - Cattermole faces car vandalism charges - Premier League football star Lee Cattermole is due to appear in court later on Monday, as he faces accusations of car vandalism in the North East.

• 16/04/2012 - Property prices hit record high - House hunters searching for a home insurance bargain could be in for a surprise as the average asking price for newly-listed properties hit an all-time high last month.

• 16/04/2012 - Warning over distraction burglar - A man posing as a water engineer tricked his way into the home of an elderly woman, police have revealed.

• 13/04/2012 - Fall in number of cars and buses on roads - The number of buses and lorries on the roads is continuing to fall, according to Government figures.

• 13/04/2012 - Dirty windscreens could cost motorists - The recent hosepipe ban in South East England might tempt motorists to avoid cleaning their vehicles regularly.

• 13/04/2012 - Fire association warns over alcohol - Fire services across Scotland are urging people to be aware of the dangers of alcohol and drugs after it was revealed they contributed to 835 house fires in the country last year.

• 12/04/2012 - Workshops launches to help kids with autism - A new programme aimed at promoting the benefits of owning a pet dog for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder is set to be launched.

• 12/04/2012 - New information for puppy buyers - It is a little-known sad but true fact that people who buy a puppy are sometimes forced to claim on their pet insurance from the beginning as they find out that the dog is in poor health after they get it home.

• 12/04/2012 - Drivers disagree with speeding fine hike - A new study shows that more than half of drivers are against the Government's plans to hike up fines for driving offences.

• 11/04/2012 - Top 100 most trusted car garages - Car insurance and garage services are often scrutinised by the public but now Motor Codes has revealed the nation's most trusted garages for car repairs and new car sales following six weeks of voting.

• 11/04/2012 - New service to aid motor dealers - It is now easier than ever for motorists to buy a car that will safely and legally tow their caravan, thanks to a new service courtesy of vehicle data expert HPI.

• 11/04/2012 - Government issues pothole review - Councils in England should take preventative steps to stop potholes occurring and communicate with the public about what is being done to tackle them.

• 10/04/2012 - Increase in demand for new cars - March heralded a third successive month of growth in car sales, official figures have shown, prompting drivers to investigate the best car insurance deals.

• 10/04/2012 - Home sales 'declining rapidly' - The number of people buying homes has dropped to its lowest level since 2008, according to a new report.

• 10/04/2012 - Man linked to luxury raid appears in court - A businessman's luxury house was targeted by armed robbers who stole more than £50,000 worth of expensive jewellery and money, a court has heard.

• 05/04/2012 - 2012-themed licence plates for sale - In keeping with the celebratory spirit of this summer's Olympic Games, hundreds of London 2012-themed car licence plates are set to be sold off at auction.

• 05/04/2012 - Dancing dogs in demand at Battersea - Gone are the days when people just wanted a regular cat or dog.

• 05/04/2012 - Insurers to assist older customers - New measures are being rolled out to help older people have easier access to car insurance and travel insurance.

• 04/04/2012 - Toy dog suffers mistaken identity - Nottinghamshire Police were left red-faced recently after officers smashed the window of a parked car in an attempt to rescue a dog, only to find that it was actually a stuffed toy.

• 04/04/2012 - House prices on the rise again - Research has shown that UK house prices rose during March.

• 04/04/2012 - Man crashes tanker into own bungalow - A Dorset man may well find his home insurance rises substantially after driving a large fuel tanker directly into the front of his own bungalow.

• 03/04/2012 - Nottingham introduces new parking levy - New, innovative types of parking charges make it even more important to get the best deal on your car insurance.

• 03/04/2012 - Suspected gas leak destroys home - A house has collapsed following an explosion in the early hours of Monday morning.

• 03/04/2012 - Older driver danger myth challenged - More older people die in road crashes than young drivers because they are less likely to survive serious injury, and not because they are more dangerous motorists, according to the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

• 02/04/2012 - Oil tanker blaze sparks evacuation - A blaze tackled by around 100 firefighters that spread across five terraced houses is believed to have started in a domestic heating oil tank.

• 02/04/2012 - Polar bear smashes door of family home - It's rare to see a polar bear in our neck of the woods, but even when a man in Canada woke up to the shouts of "Polar bear!" he could be forgiven for thinking he was still asleep dreaming.

• 02/04/2012 - Dog owners get disease warning - Dog owners have been warned to watch out for a potentially fatal canine disease that many people are reportedly unaware of.