Pothole concerns deepen for UK motorists
Potholes have overtaken texting and drink driving as the primary concern for motorists, with nine in 10 affected in the last year.
According to IAM RoadSmart’s annual Safety Culture Report, which tracks drivers’ changing attitudes to key road safety issues over time, three in four motorists (75%) now perceive potholes to be a bigger issue than they were three years ago.
This was followed by driver distraction (68%) – such as texting or talking on a mobile phone – and traffic congestion (65%).
Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said: “The pothole situation on UK roads has now become much more than just irritating, it’s a significant threat to personal safety. We simply can’t have vehicles swerving into oncoming traffic or slamming on their brakes without warning to avoid them. Deteriorating roads also put pedestrians and cyclists at greater risk.
“It is clearly a sign of the times when motorists perceive potholes to be a bigger growing concern to them than drink driving and texting. And while the statistics show that the devastating impacts of using a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or using a mobile phone when driving still remain, it does highlight that it is time for government to take potholes seriously and fix the UK’s road network.
