Skip to main content

Make traffic policing and casualty reduction a priority, says charity

A report released this week by road safety charity Brake and Direct Line has revealed that nearly half of UK drivers (49 per cent) admit to breaking traffic laws. Of those, half say they do so through inattention, while the other half admit to doing so deliberately, because they think they can get away with it or do not agree with the laws. When asked what unsafe driving behaviour they witnessed most, 71 per cent cited distraction such as from mobile phones, followed by tailgating speeding (67 per ce
April 29, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
RSSA report released this week by road safety charity 4235 Brake and 4236 Direct Line has revealed that nearly half of UK drivers (49 per cent) admit to breaking traffic laws.

Of those, half say they do so through inattention, while the other half admit to doing so deliberately, because they think they can get away with it or do not agree with the laws.

When asked what unsafe driving behaviour they witnessed most, 71 per cent cited distraction such as from mobile phones, followed by tailgating speeding (67 per cent) and risky overtaking (66 per cent) topped the list of UK drivers’ concerns.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, said: “As these figures make clear, law breaking on our roads is not just down to a minority but endemic. For whatever reason, many seem to feel they are beyond the law or that traffic laws are somehow optional. This represents a failure by government to ensure traffic policing is receiving adequate priority and to make clear the importance and legitimacy of traffic laws.

“Whoever takes power after 7 May needs to make traffic policing a national policing priority, to ensure there is a strong deterrent against risky law-breaking on roads.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • US to unify regulations on cell-phone use at the wheel?
    April 19, 2012
    A new bill being presented in the US may ban the use of cell-phones by drivers while at the wheel. Should this bill go ahead, it would unify actions in a number of states under a single law that applies to the entire country. The move, called the Safe Drivers Act, is seen crucial to plans to tackle distracted driving.
  • Innovia & The Ray feel the pulse
    March 15, 2022
    Getting drivers to slow down and space themselves safely on the road is a problem – but a collaboration between Innovia Technology and The Ray may have found a new way to do it
  • What can we do as transport professionals to help save the world?! (Or at least try)
    January 18, 2024
    Does ChatGPT have an answer to this question? Yes. Is it the right one? Well, not exactly. What we really need is for transport to support the type of society we want, says Glenn Lyons. And you, as an individual, can make a difference...
  • Redflex Traffic Systems announces Redflex Guardian subsidiary
    July 19, 2012
    Redflex Traffic Systems in the US has announced it is expanding its student safety division with the acquisition of SmartBus Live. Since 2008, the SmartBus Live safety camera programme has helped school districts and municipalities monitor and deter drivers who illegally pass school buses while the stop arm is deployed. It will now operate under Redflex’s safety camera programme, Redflex Student Guardian.