The 2019 Roadworthiness Report Key Findings

Halfords Autocentres has released a roadworthiness report for 2019. At MyCarNeedsA.com, we wanted to share with you a summary of the key findings with facts and information about this year’s accidents, breakdowns, roads and what we need to change here in the UK.

Accidents in the UK

Road users injured in accidents in Great Britain have continued to decrease according to the Department for Transport data. In 2015 there were 148,385 people reported that they were in an accident that was a result of the road. In two years, this number decreased to 126,977 which is a 14% decrease in road casualties resulting from accidents.

Accident Hotspots by Region

The table below lists the regions in the UK, in descending order of the number of people affected as a result of an accident (Department for Transport, 2017)

Contributions to Accidents in the UK

Drivers mistakes contribute to 70% of collisions

When people use the term ‘roadworthiness’ they are usually referring to the vehicle itself, however, this term can also be used to discuss whether or not that us, as individuals, are knowledgeable and safe enough to be on the roads.

According to the Department for Transport, 2017; 89,518 reported accidents were caused by either the error of the driver/ rider or their reaction; in fact, 39% of those accidents were due to the fact that the driver/ rider failed to look properly.

83% of Brits are Unroadworthy

Over 55,000 people took part in Halfords Autocentres 2018 Roadworthiness Quiz. Within this questionnaire, people had to answer a variety of questions that were based on basic safety knowledge and the Highway Code. Examples of questions were identifying the legal drinking and driving limit and knowing which symbol stands for their fog light.

The results showed that 83% (over 45,000 people!) scored less than the pass 86% pass rate.

Some Eye-Opening Findings from Halfords Autocentre 2018 Roadworthiness Quiz;

• 1 in 10 drivers thought the front fog light symbol was the main beam headlight
• 55% of drivers are unaware of the impact a wet surface can have on stopping distance
• 62% of drivers don’t know the legal drink driving limit in England
• 73% of drivers are unaware of what makes a windscreen crack illegal
• 29% believe that eating while driving is illegal

Breakdown Incidents

Over a two-year period, more than 40% of breakdowns on the Highways in England were due to:

• Vehicles running out of fuel
• Poor tyre maintenance
• Power loss
• Engine trouble

From the data released in the Freedom of Information Act from Highways around England in November 2016, the following facts were able to be obtained about the previous three years.

1. Did you know?

The most breakdowns occur on a Friday:

According to the Department for Transport, Friday is the busiest day of the week, traffic-wise. With large numbers of families going away for the weekend, workers travelling home etc. will cause congestion on the roads and cause strain on the capabilities of your car.

1. Did you know?

Your car is more likely to break down during the summer:

Warm weather can have an impact on the function of your car battery, cause the rubber to disintegrate, or even cause coolant to run out quicker than usual.

1. Did you know?

Most UK breakdowns occur on the M1:

The 200-mile road experiences the most breakdowns per year, closely followed by the M25 and the M6.

The UK Roads

Worst Junctions in the UK

34% of drivers say they avoid the motorway because they didn’t feel safe driving on it

Spittals Interchange: A14 - A14 - A141

Worsley Interchange: M60 - M62 - M602

Chevening Interchange: A21 - M25 - M26

Top 5 Congested Roads in the UK

According to Inrix’s Data, in 2019 motorists lost an average of 178 hours each in total to congestion in 2018. Inrix also discovered that the estimated value of time lost is around £7.9bn which equals to around £1,317 per driver.

Top 5 Busiest Sections of Roads

From 2016 to 2017, car traffic increased by 1.1% equalling to 254.4 billion vehicle miles (bvm). From this, motorways carry 1.4% more than 2016; 68.7 bvm in total, which is a 10% increase from more than ten years ago.

What Can We Do and What Needs To Change?

If you look at the overall statistics, they show that our numbers are improving; with 20,000 fewer road users affected by accidents in 2017 than 2015. However, if you look deeper into the statistics, like some of the ones we have given to you above, it worrying and an indication that things need to change.

1. Improve our Knowledge

By improving our knowledge of car maintenance and the rules of the road, it will help decrease accident numbers and breakdowns.

If drivers maintain a full-service history of their vehicle means the vehicle will be fully operational at all times. Keeping on top of any issues will mean that any leaks or faults will be caught before they become a problem and cause an accident or a breakdown.

There have even been proposals for regular mandatory driver retesting. A survey which was conducted in January 2018 shows that ⅔ motorists support the idea of compulsory driving retests, and ⅗ said that all motorists should be tested again every ten years.

2. More Money from the Government

This one may seem a little far fetched but, if we look at Mark Morrell for example, he managed to get a million pounds worth of road repairs across Northamptonshire from a result of campaigning to councils.

Even though the government did pledge £420 million in October 2018 to repair the nation’s roads, it simply wasn't enough to fix the problem. It will actually cost around £10 billion of funding to get the local road network in fully working order.

3. Congestion Problems- they need to be addressed!

We mentioned it earlier that in 2019 data form Inrix showed that congestion is very costly for motorists in the UK; losing an average of 178 hours each in total to congestion in 2018, at a cost of £1,317 per driver. The cost of road congestion to the UK economy in 2018 was around £8bn.

Smart motorways, or digital roads, will be doubling in numbers across the UK over the next six years; from 416 miles to a total of 788 miles. They are roads that use active traffic management that add extra lanes, use technology to make journeys more reliable which in turn results in safer roads.

By having more lanes on motorways should result in fewer congestion problems, the added technology to peoples journey should reduce road accidents by having more reliable information and in turn reduces the total number of accidents, breakdowns and reduces time stuck in congestion.

Also, remember that you have a voice. If you see a pothole that needs to be fixed, then you can report it on www.gov.uk. Challenge your council on your poor road conditions and make a change. There is more power in your hands than you think.

If you want to keep up to date about more car news then you can check out our blog or you can GET QUOTES about any problems with your car.