A new report by Hitachi Capital shows nine in 10 drivers consider themselves to be “safer than most” despite 95% of crashes being caused by driver error.
Speeding, adjusting the satnav, using handheld mobiles, driving under the influence and being overconfident are just some of the driver habits identified in the report.
Two-thirds of respondents (66%) acknowledge they have broken the speed limit more than once in the past 2 – 3 months and nearly one in ten (9%) said they had used their mobile when driving. Over one third (34.3%) conceded to driving when their mind was distracted or thinking about personal matters.
With 87% of respondents having witnessed an accident or near-miss on the roads in the last year, the report highlights the need for better awareness around driving behaviour.
Jon Lawes, managing director of Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, said: “There is a clear link between the bullish attitude most people have towards their own ability behind the wheel and the chances they take when out on the road. The vast majority of drivers are highly confident in their own abilities, despite admitting to a whole host of dangerous habits.
“We need better education targeted towards changing driver attitudes and helping people understand what really constitutes safe driving. By challenging attitudes, we can address those behaviours that have resulted in the first annual rise in UK road casualties for 17 years and, in so doing, improve the standards on our roads and motorways.”
The findings also present Britain as a nation of quick-tempered drivers. Almost four in 10 respondents (38%) admit to having shouted at another road user, showing British road rage is very much alive.
A further 84% of respondents admitted to getting annoyed with other road users over matters such as lane hogging and getting stuck behind slower vehicles.
Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions is encouraging organisations to implement stronger risk management programmes to encourage safer driving.
Any individual driver or organisation operating a fleet also has a responsibility to ensure that every vehicle is safe through regular servicing and maintenance.
craig waters - 06/06/2016 12:17
carol our findings are that drivers were never trained to self calibrate against anything other than a crash and therefore believe they are good until the crash happens. The calibration is then against one instance not against continued risk which resulted in a crash, therefore i am a great driver. It is only when the risks are known and an active part of the managed process does calibration step into internal reality and cause ongoing safe management. it is caused by 50 years of driving instruction that has told drivers they are great, when they are actually great at following an instruction or doing as they are told, with 3 generations now actively involved in this high risk easy to do process. the causality is the driving instruction drivers received and calibration was and is not part of any driver training i have viewed globally, i am yet to find a licensed driver in youth, adult, fleet and seniors (Car, Bus, Truck and Motorcycle) that actively self calibrate risk. Don’t blame the players blame the coaches. (police Gold drivers actively manage risk and calibrate continuously so are not included in this research being such a small group and not impacting results their influence is post crash) our finding support this report