Brits Lag In Eco Driving Race
Last updated: 07/09/2006 - 09:37
British drivers are falling behind when it comes to being environmentally friendly.
Although British drivers care about the environment, they still lag behind their European neighbours when it comes to green deeds, finds study.
The report illustrates that European stereotypes of drivers are not always true, and while British drivers demonstrate some laudable environmental characteristics, they have one real weak spot. When it comes to tyres, the British came last among 13 nations, apparently not fully realising when we are unnecessarily burning rubber, or driving with incorrectly inflated tyres. Brits came in slightly higher in acknowledging that good eco-driving can reduce fuel consumption.
The overall driving behaviour of the British, when it comes to the environment, puts us in sixth place - behind Germany, Belgium, France, Austria and Spain. Across Europe, the Goodyear survey showed that 70% of Europeans are willing to sacrifice comfort for the environment, and just over half (54%) could handle the idea of driving a car with lower performance, if it is more environmentally friendly. In this respect, the British outshone the European average, recording figures of 74.5% and 60.5% respectively for sacrificing comfort and performance for an environmental dividend.
Environmentally Aware
Scandinavians, apart from the Finns, appear to be the most environmentally aware-especially the Swedish, who are even prepared to pay extra taxes to help the environment.
The Dutch are among the best when it comes to environmental knowledge, and scored well in terms of energy saving behaviour. Perhaps it is because they are among the lowest users of cars, compared with the Britons who rank among the most frequent car users in Europe.
Belgians demonstrate the lowest general environmental knowledge, but paradoxically score high on waste reduction, along with Germany. The French excel in their positive ecological attitude, although this is not always matched with eco-friendly driving.
But surprisingly, it is the Italians who use their cars the least of all, and in common with most southern European countries, score below average in terms of eco-driving knowledge.
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