Automotive and Insurance Industry News-Jan 28, 2004

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Automotive and Insurance Industry News

Auto Drivers Admit to Falling Asleep at the Wheel

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 28/ -- According to a survey by Farmers Insurance, more than 10 percent of car drivers admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel, and more than 20 percent confess they have momentarily dozed while driving.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that approximately 100,000 police-reported crashes annually involve drowsiness/fatigue as a factor resulting in 1,500 fatalities and 71,000 injuries, with a monetary loss of $12.5 billion.

RV Shows Focus on Family Travel Options

RESTON, Va., Jan. 29/ -- Recreational Vehicles (RV’s) offer attractive options to vacationers looking for low-stress vacation getaways. And Retail RV shows are jumping on the consumer bandwagon by offering a place for buyers to learn more about these "homes on wheels."

Local shows help families get acquainted with one of the most popular modes of travel, by letting them walk through various vehicles, compare different floor plans and comparison shop. According to an RV owner survey by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), just over half say that RV shows played "important" or "very important" roles in their buying decisions.

The PT Cruiser Convertible: The Swiss Army Knife of the Auto World?

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 29/ -- Versatile and unique, the 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible has been likened to the Swiss Army knife in terms of usefulness and adaptability. Its back seat with fold and tumble rear seats and a pass-through trunk put it in a class by itself.

At 84.3 cu.-ft., the PT Cruiser Convertible has more total interior volume than the Beetle convertible (79.6 cu. ft.) and the Mustang convertible (79.0 cu.-ft.). The PT Cruiser Convertible is the only convertible among these same competitors to offer true pass-through luggage volume of 13.3 cu.-ft. and nine different seat configurations.

Online Auction Site, www.CalCruising.com Incredibly Successful

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 29/ -- Smart Money Magazine says in its January 2004 edition “eBay rakes in an eye popping 45 percent of all Internet retail sales -- $21 billion in the past year. The top dog on eBay: cars, hands down. In the past 12 months, eBay Motors rang up $6.7 billion in sales."

Yet, over the last 5 years only two companies have been able to establish a brand name in this online category. CalCruising has quietly grown into the second largest online transportation auction site with 10,000 registered members who’ve place 30,000 bids totaling $218,000,000.