Ford's new sporty S-MAX has achieved a class-leading five star rating under the Euro NCAP crash test protocol. Together with Focus, Ford now offers two vehicles that achieved a maximum rating in Euro NCAP. With two stars and 13 points, Ford S-MAX also achieved a competitive result for pedestrian protection.

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As Brits hit the roads for the long bank holiday weekend, drivers are being advised to enjoy the sights along the way without taking risks when behind the wheel. Research by safe driver champions Privilege Insurance reveals that many drivers admit to putting themselves and their passengers at risk by losing concentration at the wheel in order to take in the nation’s famous sights. One in four drivers finds stunning countryside like the Lake District a distraction from driving. Landmarks such as the Angel of the North distract a sixth of drivers and dramatic buildings cause more than one in ten motorists to lose concentration on the road.

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Eating or drinking at the wheel dramatically increases the risk of a car crash, according to a startling new study by safe driver champions, Privilege Insurance. Tests have revealed that drivers are almost twice as likely to crash when eating or drinking as when driving normally. And although drivers try to compensate for eating and drinking by driving more slowly and carefully, they are often unable to brake in enough time to avoid a collision.

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The anticipatory PRE-SAFE protection system is included in the standard safety equipment for the new CL-Class, which makes its market debut in the autumn of 2006. This award-winning technology goes into action if an accident is imminent and protects the occupants of the new luxury coupé against the effects of an impending collision. Available as an option is the PRE-SAFE® brake, an additional new feature that automatically slows the CL-Class down when the risk of an accident is recognised. No comparable safety technology is found in any other car in this vehicle class.

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One of the great things about summer is that we are tempted to get the bicycle out to make the most of the good weather. “Fair weather” cyclists may not be used to riding. And they all have different levels of road experience. As a driver, you need to take care to judge their speed. Remember too that some cyclists, particularly younger ones, have never driven a car, and so don’t recognise the problems that they can cause car drivers. Give young riders even more space than older ones; both old and young riders may swerve suddenly to avoid debris or potholes, but young people are more prone to forget your presence when they do.

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The most dangerous part of many motorists’ summer holiday is driving abroad, according to the RAC Foundation during National Motorway Month. Death rates on the roads in Greece are 5 times greater than death rates in the UK, while UK motorists who drive to Spain or Portugal are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than at home.

The Top 5 EU holiday destinations with the most dangerous roads are:

1. Greece
2. Portugal
3. Spain
4. Ireland (Eire)
5. Austria

Motorists can reduce these risks by using Europe’s motorways as these are far safer than main roads: the risk of being involved in a fatality on Greek motorways falls to twice that of being killed at home in the UK. Mile-for-mile, motorways in Spain and Portugal are actually safer than our own. Across the EU, just 8 per cent of fatal accidents occur on the motorway network.

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Vehicle safety is important for all vehicle occupants, particularly for children. For this reason, the development engineers at Volkswagen also concentrate on small passengers. Numerous safety features for children are integrated in current Volkswagen models as standard.

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The awareness of active safety systems in cars has improved in the past two years according to recent research undertaken by Robert Bosch, the world’s largest supplier of components and systems to the global motor industry. In 2004, only one percent of UK motorists researched were aware of ESP (Electronic Stability Program), the braking system that stops cars skidding sideways and only 18 percent could identify ABS (Antilock Braking System) as an active safety system. The most recent research by Bosch has shown an improvement with nine percent of motorists identifying ESP and 46 percent being aware of ABS.

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The 2007 Dodge Caliber has received the government’s highest ratings for side- and frontal-impact crash protection from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

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Citroën’s continuing drive to raise vehicle safety standards has once again been recognised, with the Company being awarded the Vehicle Manufacturer Safety Award in this year’s Brake Fleet Safety Forum Awards for Excellence. Brake, one of the UK’s leading road safety charities, holds this event to recognise those companies that work to reduce road casualties. The recently launched Citroën C6, which incorporates a host of advanced safety features, was singled out for specific praise by Brake. Particular mention was made of its innovative Active Bonnet system - in the event of a pedestrian impact, the bonnet ‘pops up’ and away from the engine block to help minimise pedestrian injury.

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