MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwire) -- 08/10/12 -- The nation's van drivers are falling out of love with their sat navs - believing them to be untrustworthy, according to a survey by Swinton Vans, a leading broker of van insurance.
The van insurance retailer surveyed 1,000 van drivers to reveal that one in five would prefer to use their own navigational skills to get to a destination, while a third have been delivered to the wrong destination buy their sat navs.
The survey also revealed that over two fifths of van drivers rate their own navigational skills as 'excellent', with almost half keeping a 'just in case' map in their vehicles. The new statistics show that many who had a year or less van driving experience had started to rate their navigational skills as at least 'very good' and that one in ten asked had never used a sat nav in their life.
Among the main reasons given for not using a sat nav were the potential that it could make a driver late for a job, impacting on reputation and the fact that those given inaccurate directions by the device would lose money through petrol wastage.
Phil Moss, Commercial Vehicle Manager at Swinton Van Insurance, said: "Whilst sat navs are intended to help, there are still people who prefer to find their own way around for a variety of reasons. The impact on a business should a sat nav go wrong, can manifest itself in a number of ways - damaging customer relations as well as having financial implications should it interfere with trading.
"Whilst many people use sat navs, some simply trust their own skills more - perhaps having been brought up in the area or knowing short-cuts that their device may not be programmed for. It is also important to remember to update your sat nav regularly, ensuring that any new roads, speed cameras or closures are included."
About Swinton
-- With 553 branches nationwide Swinton is the UK's largest high street
insurance retailer
-- Unlike many other companies in the financial services industry, Swinton
is committed to keeping its branches open for business, and part of the
community
-- Swinton provides a one-stop-shop for the insurance and related needs of
its clients, offering home, car, caravan, business, holiday, motorbike
and even classic car insurance
-- With a dedicated team of advisors on hand at every branch to search a
panel of insurers to offer quality cover at competitive rates
Contacts:
SKV Communications
Mairead Rodden, Lucy Gordon or Alyssa Harrison
0161 838 7770
firstname.surname@skvcommunications.co.uk
