RAC Report on Motoring 2016

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1.0 What’s on motorists’ minds?
While not as potentially hazardous
as handheld phone use or drink
and drug-driving, rudeness is also
a more serious issue for motorists
in 2016: over a fifth (21%) now say
this is a concern, up from 15%
12 months ago.
There has been a further small
increase in concern about the
behaviour of cyclists on the road:
18% of motorists cite this as an
issue, up from 16% in 2015.
The continuing year-on-year
decline in the number of dedicated
roads policing officers over recent
years7 is likely only to have fuelled
fears that irresponsible driving will
go unpunished: 6% of motorists say
this issue is a top-four concern.
Finally, concern about untaxed
vehicles and/or uninsured drivers
remains high: 27% name this as a
top-four concern, up very slightly
from last year’s 26%. The RAC
warned that Vehicle Excise Duty
(VED) revenues could suffer as a
result of increased evasion after the
tax disc was scrapped in October
2014, and motorists were no longer
required to display evidence they
have paid their road tax.
7.
Figures published in the
DVLA’s annual report
and accounts in July
showed VED revenue
fell by £93m in the year
following the abolition
of the paper tax disc.
RAC call to action:
Road safety: see page 88
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RAC Report on Motoring 2016