Dangerous driving and poor road conditions are the leading causes of local road collisions in the eyes of the public, according to research commissioned by law firm Simpson Millar.
Almost two thirds of respondents (62%) identified dangerous driving as one of the biggest causes of road traffic collisions in their area. Potholes and other poor road conditions ranked second, cited by 45%.
The survey of 2,000 UK adults also found that 17% blamed traffic levels, 13% pointed to a lack of enforcement and 12% cited poor infrastructure.
Safety concerns influencing travel choices
One in five respondents (21%) said they avoid particular roads or routes because of safety concerns, while 15% said those concerns had led them to use public transport more often.
Younger adults were the most likely to avoid specific routes, with 26% of people aged 18 to 24 and 25 to 34 reporting that they did so, compared with 20% of those aged 55 and over. Women were also more likely than men to avoid routes they considered unsafe, at 23% compared with 20%.
The South West and West Midlands recorded the highest regional shares of people avoiding particular roads, both at 26%. Bristol had the highest city-level figure, at 36%, followed by Sheffield at 29%.
London and Manchester each recorded the highest city-level share of respondents saying road safety concerns had increased their use of public transport, at 19%.
Regional and demographic differences
Concern about dangerous driving was highest in the West Midlands, where 70% of respondents identified it as a major local cause of collisions. The figure was 68% in Scotland and 66% in the North West.
Scotland recorded the strongest concern about poor road conditions, with 52% citing potholes and similar problems. The East of England followed at 50%, with the South West at 49%.
At city level, dangerous driving was cited by 69% of respondents in both Glasgow and Plymouth, and by 68% in Sheffield. Brighton recorded the highest concern about poor road conditions, at 59%, followed by Edinburgh at 58% and Plymouth at 56%.
Women were more likely than men to identify dangerous driving as a major cause of collisions, at 68% compared with 57%. They were also slightly more likely to cite potholes and poor road conditions, at 47% compared with 43%.
Concern increased with age. Among people aged 55 and over, 69% named dangerous driving as a major cause of local collisions, compared with 54% of 18 to 24 year olds. Half of over-55s cited potholes and poor road conditions, compared with 36% of the youngest age group surveyed.
Susan Vanden, a partner in Simpson Millar’s personal injury team, said: “Driver behaviour is clearly the biggest road safety concern for people, but the condition of the roads themselves isn’t far behind.”
She added: “Potholes can sometimes be talked about as little more than an annoyance for drivers, but poor road surfaces can pose a real risk, particularly for cyclists and motorcyclists.”
Vanden said changes in travel behaviour showed the importance of confidence in local roads, adding that people should be able to travel without feeling that road conditions or other road users could expose them to unnecessary risk.