THE BIGGEST issue that worries drivers has been revealed in a report by a leading road safety charity.
Produced by IAM RoadSmart, the seventh iteration of the annual report examines the opinions, attitudes and behaviours of motorists across the UK.
Potholes were named as the biggest problem, with 90% of drivers claiming to have been affected by them over the past year.
A further 32% have changed their route to avoid pesky potholes, while 16% have gone as far as to report the issue to a relevant authority.
Respondents were also asked to name the issues they deem to be the biggest threat to their personal safety.
Ranking top at 92% was drivers using their phone while at the wheel, particularly when texting or emailing.
Phones continued to get a strong reaction from drivers, with 91% saying they worried about other motorists checking social media when on the road.
Driving after drinking alcohol or taking illegal drugs and speeding in residential areas were the other top responses, coming in at 90% and 88% respectively.
However, participants disagreed far more on the safety of driverless vehicles, with just 59% worried about the risks associated with autonomous driving.
The report is a crucial tool for the charity, allowing their plans for lobbying and campaigning to be shaped by the opinions of motorists.
Local and central government also benefit from this insight, as it paints a picture of the problems drivers in particular areas are concerned about.
Neil Greig, Director of Policy and Research at IAM RoadSmart, said: “The topics of mobility and road safety are constantly evolving, and our Driving Safety Culture report puts the spotlight on the biggest issues that British motorists face when taking to the roads.
?”Armed with this information, we can now tailor our lobbying and campaigning efforts, and represent the views of drivers to those who make the laws and hold the purse strings.
“What is clear is that there is a long way to go to convince British drivers that efforts to deal with the backlog of potholes is having any impact at all.”
Of the 18 behaviours tested, only talking on a handsfree mobile and driving 10 miles per hour above the speed limit were deemed acceptable by respondents.
The most recent figures, published for the year 2020, found that Scotland‘s road death rate of 26 per million was the eight lowest of the 42 countries surveyed, according to Traffic Scotland.
However, the Department for Transport estimates the 35% drop compared to the year prior was likely related to the 23% drop in traffic levels because of the pandemic.
