Road Safety Week 2016 runs from 21st - 27th November to help raise awareness of the dangers to both drivers and pedestrians on UK roads. The event is organised by road safety charity Brake and has been running every year since 1997.
Figures from Brake show that five people are killed on UK roads every day, with 22,855 seriously injured in 2015 alone. As drivers, there are a several simple steps that can you can take in order to improve safety when driving and eliminate any of those bad habits.
Awareness of your poor habits is the first step to better driving. The FuelCard Company recently surveyed 1,000 British drivers about their worst driving habits. This revealed many common mistakes that people make when driving which could potentially lead to accidents.
Unsurprisingly, the most problematic driving habit is going too fast, with 64% of respondents admitting to the offence. Other deliberate driving misdemeanours include driving too close to other vehicles (52%) and hogging the middle lane (47%).
Speed wasn’t the only issue, with large numbers admitting to getting distracted - with our reliance on mobile phones being the main culprit. 60% of drivers admitted to texting while driving, and 57% are happy to chat on the phone while driving.
Read the full list of problem driving habits below:
- Going too fast (64%)
- Texting while driving (60%)
- Using the phone or hands-free (57%)
- Eating at the wheel (54%)
- Driving too close to other vehicles (52%)
- Throwing rubbish out of the window (51%)
- Going too slow (50%)
- Smoking behind the wheel (48%)
- Hogging the middle lane (47%)
- Checking phone notifications (46%)
These poor driving habits can have consequences that go beyond just the journey. A survey of driving instructors by insurance provider Marmalade showed that they believe parents pass on their worst habits when teaching their children to drive, leading to a culture of poor driving.
Brake is asking drivers to consider their own driving habits and make the Brake Pledge. This is a six-point promise to be: slow, sober, secure, silent, sharp and sustainable.
By following these simple actions, they hope that driving behaviour will change and UK roads can become safer.