Greater than half of motorists are diverting from motorways to probably much less protected rural roads to keep away from visitors jams and congestion, in accordance with new analysis.
IAM RoadSmart, Britain’s main street security charity, discovered that during the last 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 accordance with the Division for Transport. This compares to 84 killed on motorways and 273 fatalities on city roads in 2023. Many nation roads are slender, with restricted protected locations to overhaul, and characterised by a poor street floor and blind bends.
The analysis additionally reveals that drivers engaged in hazardous manoeuvres to keep away from congestion. Practically one third (27%) of the two,000 individuals polled for the 2024 IAM RoadSmart Street Security Report admitted to performing harmful manoeuvres akin to U-turns in the midst of a street to beat the jams, whereas one in ten (11%) confessed to operating a pink mild to avoid wasting time. A small minority (8%) held their fingers as much as continuing past a visitors mild altering to pink 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 might be placing themselves and others at a better danger of a collision.
Irritating driving habits are additionally totting up the time spent on the street, 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 driving 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 velocity restrict of 60mph within the UK, visitors typically contains individuals travelling at quite a lot of speeds, together with cyclists and farm automobiles, in addition to pedestrians.
In response to the survey by IAM RoadSmart, 64% supported reducing the velocity 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 selecting one other route.
“Rural roads are sometimes winding, stuffed with blind spots and missing in pavements. Nationwide velocity limits also can lull drivers right into a false sense of safety that these are applicable limits; in lots of instances, they aren’t. We’d encourage roads authorities to overview and the place applicable scale back velocity limits on sure sections of those roads. Additionally, whereas focus is rightly placed on bettering current roads slightly than constructing new ones, Authorities needs to be ready to broaden capability on congested elements of the strategic street community.
“With the festive season simply across the nook, and roads more likely to be busy as individuals head residence for Christmas, individuals needs to be conscious of congestion and poor climate circumstances, and plan forward to keep away from travelling in peak instances.
“Travelling at a protected velocity and anticipating different sorts of street customers – significantly tractors, cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians is crucial. Whereas the statistics present an elevated danger on these roads, correct coaching and consciousness can mitigate this.”
