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Despite being a universal fashion essential overthe hot summer months, flip-flops are one of the most hazardousitems of footwear for driving, according to research from NorwichUnion Motor Insurance.

A recent survey* of 1,000 motorists, found thatnearly three quarters of the British public admit they find itdifficult to drive when wearing flip-flops, with almost a quarterof drivers admitting to driving in such footwear regularly.

Craig Martin, motor marketing manager at NorwichUnion, commented: "Being in control of your car when driving isessential, especially in an emergency. However, many of us areignoring safety advice when it comes to the shoes we wear whendriving. Footwear such as flip-flops are dangerous as the sole canget caught under a pedal during a simple gear change, when applyingthe brake or even when moving the foot from clutch to brake or viceversa. The absence of ankle support can lead to the foot slippingoff the pedal altogether".

Wearing shoes suitable for driving is animportant part of the safety equation. The Driving Standards Agencyoffers the following advice: "Wear sensible clothing for driving,especially on a long journey. Suitable shoes are particularlyimportant. We also would not recommend driving bare foot becauseyou don’t have the same braking force with bare feet as youdo wearing shoes."

With the temperature set to rise over the comingmonth, at home and abroad flip-flops will continue to be thepopular fashion footwear of choice. However, Norwich Union isurging drivers to spare a thought for safety when falling victim tofashion and has put together some top tips:

• Always wear suitable clothing, particularly shoes
• Keep a suitable spare pair of shoes in your car especially fordriving
• Do not drive barefoot
• Avoid wearing high heels or ‘wedge’ heeled shoesas these can be difficult to drive in

For more information about motoring andinsurance, customers should call 0800 092 9564 orvisit:  www.norwichunion.com/motor

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For more information please contact:
LizHunt or Maria Murtagh at Borkowski PR
tel: 020 7404 3000
e-mail: Liz@borkowski.co.uk 
Maria@borkowski.co.uk

Notes to editors
Research
*NorwichUnion commissioned ICM Research to interview a random sample of1,000 adults aged 18-65+ between 27th - 28th June 2005

Norwich Union Insurance

• Norwich Union is the UK's largest insurer with a market share ofaround 13 per cent
• With a focus on insurance for individuals and small businesses,Norwich Union insures:
  • one in five households
  • one in seven motor vehicles
  • more than 800,000 businesses
• Norwich Union products are available through a variety ofdistribution channels including brokers, corporate partners suchas banks and building societies and Norwich Union Direct.
• Aviva, Norwich Union’s parent company, recentlyannounced its acquisition of the RAC. The acquisition bringstogether the RAC's powerful brand and customer base with theexpertise and leading position in motor insurance of Norwich UnionInsurance.