Eyes on the road
Research by Direct Line Car Insurance has revealed that more than 11 million motorists (28%) have been involved in a collision, either because they weren’t looking at the road or because they didn’t check their blind spot.
A fifth of motorists (18%) have also been involved in a collision with another vehicle because they allowed their eyes to drift off the road.
Nick Reid, head of automotive technology at Direct Line Car Insurance, commented, ‘We urge drivers to consider not just themselves but other road users and pedestrians when driving, as ‘I just didn’t see them’ is not a valid excuse for any collision. While nothing should replace driver vigilance, increased take up of driver assistance technologies such blind spot detection, pedestrian and cyclist warning and automatic braking systems could help reduce the number of unnecessary accidents on our roads.’
Commenting on the findings, Kate Rock, PR and corporate communications manager at Goodyear Tyres UK, said, ‘We have found that mobile phone use is still prominent in young drivers, despite laws prohibiting their use. Worryingly, our extensive research reveals that 42% of young drivers have admitted to using their mobile phone behind the wheel and almost one-quarter (23%) said the risk of being prosecuted would not affect this. It’s absolutely imperative that more education is provided to make drivers aware of the potential dangers of the road and the distractions around them, so that safe driving becomes second nature.’
