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1.0
What’s on motorists’ minds?
1.2
Road safety
There is growing concern among
motorists about the irresponsible
and potentially highly dangerous
behaviour of other road users.
More than two in five (41%) of
motorists say that drivers using
handheld mobile phones – whether
to make and receive calls, send text
messages, or browse the internet –
is one of their top four concerns, up
from a third (34%) in 2015 – a higher
percentage than for any other issue.
And 13% of drivers say that use
of handheld phones by other
motorists is their number-one
concern in 2016 – only the condition
and maintenance of local roads
(14%) is cited as a bigger issue.
There has also been a rise in overall
concern about other drivers breaking
traffic laws: 23% say this is a top-
four concern, up from 19% last year.
Overall concern about drink-driving
is high but has fallen (22% now cite
this as a top-four concern, down
from 29% in 2015). Likewise,
concern about driving under the
influence of illegal drugs or banned
prescription medication is down by
a small amount (total concern is
17% compared with 19% last year).
“Concern among motorists over drink-driving has
fallen this year, even though the number of deaths
involving a driver over the limit has remained at
the same level.
It may simply be that motorists are more aware of other
issues, such as mobile phones. However, drink-driving
remains a major killer – some 240 deaths a year – and must
remain a priority for road safety.”
DAVID DAVIES
Executive Director
Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety
22
RAC Report on Motoring 2016