OVER half of drivers in the UK are concerned that councils aren’t doing enough to keep them safe during the winter months, new research has revealed.
According to a study by online car marketplace heycar, 57% of Brits said roads could be better maintained.
Two out of five said standards have declined in the past five years, whilst 27% of people said they had gritted their road because the council hadn’t done it.
The survey of 1,500 drivers is part of a comprehensive study from heycar to investigate the safety of road users over the winter months.
The findings come as the Local Government Association warned that gritters could be the next service to be affected by the current lorry driver shortage.
This has led to fears that many of Britain’s roads could become covered in dangerous levels of snow and ice.
heycar also revealed Kent roads to be the nation’s most dangerous at this time of year.
Through analysis of data from the Department For Transport, heycar discovered that Kent was the worst local authority for accidents in wintry conditions over five years.
The area reported 400 road traffic accident casualties in wintry conditions between 2015 and 2020.
Lincolnshire was in second place with 333, and Lancashire third with 320.
The figures were derived from the most recent Reported Road Casualties In Great Britain report.
The report is compiled from road traffic accidents in which at least one person was injured and which were reported to the police.
Further analysis of the data allowed heycar to also discern the most dangerous regions in Britain for driving in wintry conditions.
It sees the South East of England take the top spot with 1,623 casualties over the past five years. The East Midlands takes second place with 1,016 while Yorkshire is third with 973.
Scotland saw 940 incidents, while Wales recorded the least with 264.
heycar senior editor, Dan Powell, said: “Our research has found that many people are concerned about the lack of maintenance carried out by local councils on roads in the winter.
“Driving in these dark, wet and icy months is a challenge for the most experienced of road users, but if we factor in the very serious risk of roads going un-gritted, then that makes an already difficult situation even more grave.
“Our analysis of Department For Transport data also reveals the nation’s winter weather accident blackspots.
“And with Kent taking the top spot we would urge all drivers there to take extra care on its highways.”
