Today’s news that supermarkets are fuelling the fight by rolling back petrol prices will come as a welcome relief to Britain’s 33 million motorists...

Ann Robinson comments on report that says gas prises could rise by 60%.

When the summer sunshine sizzles, the hottest days of the year lead to a 50% increase in car accidents. But what is it that drives British motorists to distraction? New research from price comparison and switching service, uSwitch.com, lifts the lid on what causes motorists minds to wander.

The UK and Ireland have been ranked as the worst European countries to live in, according to the uSwitch.com Quality of Life Index released today.

young drivers: “We welcome any initiative that attempts to reduce accidents. However, does the zero tolerance alcohol limit for the under 21’s go far enough? Teenage drink drivers are responsible for 100 fatalities a year, and 1,000 accidents. Although this is extremely serious, it represents just 4% of the total 2,703 fatalities[1].

Predictions of a 40% price hike this year have sent consumers scrambling to secure a fixed or capped price energy deal.

Despite the credit crunch, holiday loving Brits are still determined to put it all behind them and jet off for a well earned break. Up to 20 million[1] consumers will be avoiding package deals by going it alone and putting together a self-planned holiday this summer. In some cases this may save some cash but there are other implications to consider as those opting for DIY holidays will not benefit from ATOL (Air Travel Organisers' Licensing) protection. The payment method is also an important consideration - by not using the best plastic uSwitch.com estimates that consumers could spend £859 million[5] on top of the original cost of the holiday in interest payments whilst losing out on reward points.

Last month, Ofcom announced a new Code of Practice to give consumers greater clarity on broadband speeds. It also revealed plans for a comprehensive survey into UK broadband performance, with the results to be unveiled in the second half of this year. Ahead of this report, and the week after Virgin Media had its knuckles rapped by the ASA over its broadband adverts, uSwitch.com’s independent research reveals that 4.2 million consumers are not satisfied with their broadband speed.

The best-selling cars in the UK will see a 12% rise in road tax, meaning motorists will be forking out an extra £25 a year on average

They make up just 7% of the car insurance market, yet young drivers account for 22% (over a fifth) of total premiums

Senior energy industry insiders are predicting further price rises of up to 40% this year. Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy, comments.

Despite UK debt hitting 1.4 trillion[2] and banks being forced to write off a staggering £17.3 billion[3] in bad debt in 2007, new research shows that credit card providers could be putting themselves and consumers at risk by not making sufficient checks during the application process. According to uSwitch.com, in the past 12 months 84%[1] of successful credit card applicants – 4.8 million[1] – were not asked to provide any proof of income to support the figures stated in their application form.

British Gas has announced it is putting gas and electricity prices up on its Market Tracker energy plan by 14% with immediate effect - Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, comments.

Consumers have named energy suppliers as the worst culprits for inaccurate bills, according to new research from uSwitch.com. Almost 9 million households – one in three - have had to deal with at least one inaccurate energy bill in the last two years. On average these took just over two months to sort out.

uSwitch.com has tested over 2,500 motorists on basic driving theory. The results make sobering reading, with just 1% of respondents answering all questions correctly.

Despite headlines warning that wholesale gas prices are on the brink of a record £1 a therm, npower has today cut the price on its online dual fuel energy plan – Sign Online 11 – by £16, from an average of £878 to £862. New and existing customers will benefit from the lower price.

Sparked by the switchover, nearly 3 million new homes took up digital TV in 2007. Today, nearly 9 out of 10 homes in the UK have ‘gone digital’ and spend a staggering £4.2 billion on their service every year. However, the first ever digital TV customer satisfaction survey by uSwitch.com, featuring the top 3 providers - who hold 95% of the market - reveals that more than 1 in 4 customers are not satisfied.

Ofwat, the water watchdog, has set out proposals to open up the water and sewerage industry to competition. Tim Wolfenden, Head of Home Services, comments.

“Recent research conducted by uSwitch.com has revealed that over 14 million motorists across Britain are being hit with additional fees amounting to £333 million a year, just for amending simple details to their car insurance policy.

The choice of caring for your own children is rapidly turning into a luxury available only to those who can afford it. A new study by uSwitch.com reveals that more than 1 in 3 (38%) new parents (those with children under 2 years old) are forced to return to work to make ends meet. In fact, the number of stay at home parents has hit its lowest level in 15 years with just 7% of all parents now staying at home to look after their children.