Greater than half of motorists are diverting from motorways to doubtlessly much less secure rural roads to keep away from visitors jams and congestion, in keeping with new analysis.
IAM RoadSmart, Britain’s main highway security charity, discovered that over the past twelve months, 51% of drivers have diverted from a congested motorway and headed for a rustic lane as an alternative.
Statistically, rural roads are essentially the most harmful roads in Britain, with practically 1,000 deaths occurring on them yearly, in keeping with the Division for Transport. This compares to 84 killed on motorways and 273 fatalities on city roads in 2023. Many nation roads are slim, with restricted secure locations to overhaul, and characterised by a poor highway floor and blind bends.
The analysis additionally reveals that drivers engaged in hazardous manoeuvres to keep away from congestion. Almost one third (27%) of the two,000 folks polled for the 2024 IAM RoadSmart Street Security Report admitted to performing harmful manoeuvres comparable to U-turns in the course of a highway to beat the jams, whereas one in ten (11%) confessed to working a purple mild to avoid wasting time. A small minority (8%) held their fingers as much as continuing past a visitors mild altering to purple solely to finish up blocking an intersection.
With greater than three quarters (83%) reporting that they’ve had greater than half-hour added to their journey due to a visitors jam over the previous 12 months, it’s small surprise that motorists are discovering different routes and diverting onto rural roads to avoid wasting time. Nevertheless, by doing so they could be placing themselves and others at a higher threat of a collision.
Irritating driving habits are additionally totting up the time spent on the highway, with 80% reporting that they’d been delayed momentarily ready for a driver that had failed to point at a junction or roundabout.
Site visitors jams and delays are manifesting in impatience, with greater than a 3rd (31%) beeping their horn to get the motive force in entrance to rush up. This has the potential to result in these drivers on the receiving finish making dangerous or unwise choices when pulling out of a junction.
Regardless of many falling beneath the nationwide pace restrict of 60mph within the UK, visitors usually contains folks travelling at quite a lot of speeds, together with cyclists and farm automobiles, in addition to pedestrians.
In accordance with the survey by IAM RoadSmart, 64% supported decreasing the pace restrict on a rural single carriageway to 50mph.
IAM RoadSmart Director of Coverage and Requirements Nicholas Lyes mentioned: “This can be very regarding however considerably comprehensible that greater than half of motorists are diverting onto nation lanes to keep away from visitors jams. Many individuals lead busy lives and it’s not shocking that they’re making an attempt to avoid wasting time by choosing one other route.
“Rural roads are sometimes winding, filled with blind spots and missing in pavements. Nationwide pace limits may also lull drivers right into a false sense of safety that these are applicable limits; in lots of instances, they aren’t. We might encourage roads authorities to evaluation and the place applicable scale back pace limits on sure sections of those roads. Additionally, whereas focus is rightly placed on enhancing current roads somewhat than constructing new ones, Authorities ought to be ready to increase capability on congested elements of the strategic highway community.
“With the festive season simply across the nook, and roads prone to be busy as folks head residence for Christmas, folks ought to be conscious of congestion and poor climate situations, and plan forward to keep away from travelling in peak occasions.
“Travelling at a secure pace and anticipating different varieties of highway customers – notably tractors, cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians is crucial. Whereas the statistics present an elevated threat on these roads, correct coaching and consciousness can mitigate this.”
