Both fuels began to drop yesterday for the first time since the war started. And they’ve both gone a little further today: petrol is now below 158p and diesel below 191p for the first time since 8 April.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “After 46 days of rising prices, the cost of both petrol and diesel across the country has finally begun to drop very slightly. Wholesale prices are still lower, so we’re hopeful there will be further reductions amounting to several pence a litre in the coming days.
“After record rises, drivers will be relieved to finally see prices going the other way.
“While we’re a long way from a return to the prices we had at the start of the conflict, there’s now a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.”
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “While pump prices have technically risen for a record 43 straight days, the increases have almost ground to a halt.
“The average price of petrol now stands at 158.27p, only having gone up a quarter of a penny since reaching 158.03p on Thursday. Similarly, diesel is now at an average of 191.5p, having first climbed to 191.11p on Thursday too.
“With dated Brent crude under $100 a barrel for the last three trading days, there’s now scope to see prices finally starting to go the other way.
“But, as always, it’s a highly volatile situation with much depending on what happens with the Strait of Hormuz. And, if the oil price was to go back up again this week, any hopes of slight forecourt reductions will inevitably disappear.”
Petrol and diesel increase by record monthly amounts
Diesel goes up by 40p in a month – 18p more than the previous record set four years ago
20p monthly hike in the average price of petrol surpasses June 2022 record of 16.6p
Full tanks of petrol and diesel go up by £11 and £22 in March
The average prices of petrol and diesel both increased by record monthly amounts in March on the back of the conflict in Iran, analysis of RAC Fuel Watch data reveals.*
A litre of unleaded rose by 20p from 132.83p on 1 March to 152.83p by the end, surpassing the previous all-time biggest monthly jump of 16.6p seen at the end of June 2022 when petrol went up from 174.84p to 191.43p.
The increase in the average price of diesel was even more dramatic, going up 40p in March to 182.77p from 142.38p – almost doubling the previous record rise of 22p seen in March 2022 where the price went from 155.23p to 177.29p at the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Despite the record rises seen in March, average fuel prices are still some way off the all-time highs of summer 2022 when petrol peaked at an average of 191.5p (3 July) and diesel at 199p a litre (25 June).
The sudden hikes have added £11 to the cost of filling a 55-litre family car, which now stands at nearly £84 (£84.06), and £22 for the diesel equivalent, with a tank topping £100 (£100.52)
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “March has been truly unprecedented – fuel prices have never risen this fast in a single month. But while this is the biggest pence-per-litre increase ever in a month, it’s not as great in real terms as those seen during the 1973 oil crisis when the price of a barrel quadrupled.
“The increases drivers have had to endure in March 2026 far exceed those seen in the early days of the war in Ukraine.
“While the monthly rise in a litre of petrol is bad enough, the jump in the cost of diesel is even harder to swallow at 40p a litre – 18p more than the previous monthly record. With long-term RAC research showing eight-in-10 people are dependent on their vehicles, these costs must really be taking their toll on both households as well as businesses.
“Ahead of the Easter getaway, which is expected to be the busiest on the roads since 2022 with nearly 21m leisure journeys planned, we urge drivers to fill up as usual and to use the myRAC app to find the cheapest forecourts near them.”
New figures show most drivers are sticking to Easter travel plans, despite surging fuel prices
Drivers are committed to making the most of the four-day Easter bank holiday despite sharply rising fuel prices, with nearly 21m leisure journeys planned, according to a new study of drivers’ getaway plans by the RAC and traffic analytics specialists INRIX.*
With over a million more trips planned than last year, this Easter weekend is set to be the busiest on the roads since 2022 – which was the first full getaway after the Covid lockdowns.
RAC data suggests traffic will be at its busiest on Good Friday 3rd April with drivers planning around 3.3m leisure trips. Over 2.3m trips are planned on Thursday 2nd, while drivers are expected to make 3m journeys on Saturday 4th. The number of trips planned drops slightly on Easter Sunday to 2.3m, before increasing again to a further 3m on bank holiday Monday as travellers return home.
A further 6.7m journeys are anticipated at some point over the Easter bank holiday weekend, with drivers undecided on their exact date of travel. But with some early indications that the weather could warm up in time for the weekend, the number of ad hoc journeys could rise.
New separate research by the RAC also shows that while 31% of drivers are increasingly worried about rising fuel costs – driven by the current conflict in the Middle East that has seen pump prices soaring – most aren’t changing their plans. Only 6% expect to drive shorter distances and another 6% say they won’t drive at all, as a direct result of the higher prices.*
This is despite the fact that filling up a typical diesel family car this Easter will cost at least £19 more than it did on Good Friday in 2025, and a tank of petrol nearly £8 more, with further increases likely.
On Thursday 2nd – the day when many schools break up for the Easter holidays – some of the worst delays of more than 40 minutes are expected on the M25 clockwise between J15 and J19 around 2.45pm, and on the M4 westbound across the Prince of Wales Bridge towards Bridgend with delays of an hour and a quarter in the evening, according to data from INRIX. The anticlockwise stretch from J17 to J12 will also see similar delays closer around 4pm, close to the evening rush-hour.
Meanwhile, on Good Friday, many major roads are expected to be busy throughout the day from 10am-7pm. The M5 southbound between J15 at the RAC tower north of Bristol and J23 for Bridgwater – a key holiday route – could see journey times extended by more than 50 minutes at lunchtime, while the M25 anticlockwise between J17 and J12 may see delays of 30 minutes mid-morning, nearly trebling normal journey times.
On Saturday 4th, drivers are advised to avoid 10am to midday when traffic will be at its busiest. The M40 northbound from J12 to the Umberslade interchange with the M42 will see delays of around 48 minutes at 11am, with journey times almost four times longer than usual.
The roads are expected to be busy for most of Easter Monday 6th April as families return from their Easter trips. Delays of over an hour (65 minutes) are expected at midday in the South West on the M5 northbound between J25 for Taunton and J15 at the RAC tower.
Elsewhere, the M25 clockwise between J15 to J19 will be hit with queues at 5.30pm, with journeys taking over 38 minutes longer than usual, double usual travel times.
RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader Sean Kimberlin said: “The Easter bank holiday getaway is traditionally one of the biggest of the year, and 2026 looks no different.
“In fact, the number of planned leisure journeys by car has risen for the second year running and as a result we expect this to be the busiest Easter on the roads since 2022, when the country opened up after the Covid lockdown.
“Despite fuel prices rising dramatically due to the conflict in the Middle East, our research suggests Easter remains incredibly important to people as it’s often the first chance to get away since Christmas or to meet up with friends and family.
“While a significant number of drivers are concerned about rising fuel prices, a much smaller contingent are actually changing their plans this Easter as a result. This is despite the cost of filling up a family diesel car increasing by around £19 compared to this time last year, and a tank of petrol being £8 more expensive. In the face of rising prices, we urge everyone to use the myRACapp to find the cheapest forecourts near them.
“We expect traffic levels to be consistently high from Thursday when many schools break up. We advise drivers to plan for the best time to travel if they want to avoid significant queues, especially in traffic hotspot areas such as the M5 heading towards Devon and Cornwall and the M25. Congestion is likely to be at its worst from 10am from Thursday to Saturday and on Easter Monday, so leaving early in the morning is the best way to avoid the jams.
“The Easter bank holiday is always a particularly busy period for our patrols, but many breakdowns can be avoided if drivers ensure their vehicles are fully prepared before they travel. It’s still not too late to book an RAC Mobile Mechanic who can service or repair cars at home or at work, removing the need to visit a garage and giving drivers peace of mind their vehicles are fit for a long road trip.”
National Highways’ traffic contraflow system, ‘Operation Brock’, will be in place throughout the Easter weekend from 1st to 7thApril, with lorries travelling to the Port of Dover being directed to a specific lane at Junction 8 of the M20.
Port of Dover chief executive Doug Bannister said: “The port is preparing for a busy Easter getaway period, with an early increase in traffic expected from Friday 27th and Saturday 28th, followed by the predicted getaway volumes through to mid-April.
“Between Thursday 2nd and Sunday 19th April, we will welcome in the region of 37,000 cars through the port. To help ensure a smooth departure, we kindly ask all customers travelling with our ferry partners not to arrive any earlier than two hours before their scheduled sailing, just as you would if departing from a UK airport.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience, should there be any additional waiting time due to the increase in traffic levels.”
For drivers planning a long Easter getaway journey, the RAC advises booking an appointment with one of its Mobile Mechanics. RAC Mobile Mechanics can complete services and repairs on the driveway or at a customer’s place of work, giving drivers peace of mind before they lhit the roads.
RAC is predicting a ‘hat-trick of hold-ups’ as around 2.7m trips are planned on Thursday 18th, Good Friday 19th and Saturday 20th April
Delays of over an hour likely around London and routes to and from the West Country
This year’s Easter bank holiday weekend could be the busiest since 2022 – the first full getaway after COVID lockdowns – with more than 19m leisure journeys planned, according to a new study of drivers’ getaway plans by the RAC and traffic analytics specialists INRIX.*
Research suggests traffic will be equally severe on Thursday 18th, Good Friday 19th and Saturday 20th April with drivers planning around 2.7m trips every day during that period.
The number of trips planned drops slightly on Easter Sunday to 2.5m, before increasing again to a further 2.7m on bank holiday Monday as millions of people return home – ahead of most school terms beginning the next day.
A further 6.2m journeys are anticipated at some point over the Easter bank holiday weekend, but drivers planning these trips are still unsure exactly when they’ll travel – with the notorious British weather likely to be a big factor.
INRIX expect Thursday 17th to be the worst day for traffic when jams are likely to increase by nearly a third (30%) more than usual. On this day, INRIX are predicting delays of more than an hour on the 35-mile anti-clockwise stretch of the M25 between J7 for Gatwick Airport and J16 for the M40 to the West Midlands, around 11:45am. The M6 north of Chester and M25 clockwise towards Godstone in Surrey could also see long delays in the evening.
Meanwhile, on Good Friday, the lengthiest hold-ups are expected between 11am to 1pm, meaning drivers are advised to start their trips as early as possible in the morning or delay them until later in the afternoon.
Two popular routes to the West Country – the A303 westbound to Stonehenge and the M5 southbound between J15 at the RAC tower north of Bristol and J23 for Bridgwater – could be affected by some of the longest jams, with journey times extending to 43 minutes and one hour 20 minutes respectively – more than half as long as usual.
For those returning from the West Country on Easter Monday 21st April, delays of nearly an hour (58 minutes) are expected around 2:30pm on the M5 northbound between J25 for Taunton and J16 at the RAC tower.
Elsewhere, the M25 anticlockwise between J4 from Bromley and the Dartford Crossing will be hit with queues at lunchtime, with journeys taking over half an hour longer than normal.
Interactive embeddable version of this map available here
RAC breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “The late bank holiday weekend clashes with the end of the Easter break for many schools – which we think will change the nature of this year’s getaway.
“Although journey numbers are still very high, we’re anticipating more day trips and weekend breaks than people heading off on one and two-week stints, reflected by INRIX’s predictions that the worst delays will be along routes from Gatwick to the rest of the country. This could lead to a ‘hat-trick of hold-ups’ on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as drivers visit family and friends.
“But while getaway journeys may be shorter in length, we’re still expecting to see extremely high levels of traffic from Thursday onwards, with the greatest number of Easter getaway trips planned for three years.
“Drivers shouldn’t expect to escape the queues if they don’t plan the best time to set off. It’s always best to travel as early as possible in the morning or later in the day when most of the traffic has eased, especially if headed to popular holiday destinations such as the West Country, Scotland or Wales.
“The Easter bank holiday is always a busy time for our patrols, but motorists can often avoid breaking down altogether if they make sure their cars are road-ready before setting off. An RAC Mobile Mechanic can service or repair your vehicle at home or work, eliminating the need to get to a garage.
“Despite the predicted jams and weather set to be cooler than it was for many of us last week – the one silver lining for anyone getting away could be lower fuel prices. All the talk of trade tariffs has pushed oil prices down, which should lead to lower petrol and diesel prices at the pumps if retailers pass the savings on.”
National Highways’ traffic contraflow system, ‘Operation Brock’, will still be in place throughout the Easter weekend until 22nd April, with lorries travelling to the Port of Dover being directed to a specific lane at Junction 8 of the M20.
Port of Dover chief executive Doug Bannister said “Thanks to the hard work of our operational team, our French and UK partners, and the travelling public, we’ve seen strong passenger numbers move smoothly through the port this Easter break.
“Looking ahead to the bank holiday weekend, we’re forecasting a busy day on Thursday when we expect around 5,000 cars, and Friday 18th with around 5,500 cars heading on their holidays from early morning until lunchtime. We’d like to remind passengers to travel to the port by the main routes only and arrive no more than two hours ahead of their scheduled sailing.
“The launch of the coach trip pre-registration system during this busy Easter travel period, has also contributed to a more efficient experience, with ferry operators reporting that nearly a third of school groups have utilised it.”
For drivers planning a long Easter getaway journey, the RAC advises booking an appointment with one of its Mobile Mechanics. RAC Mobile Mechanics can complete services and repairs on the driveway or at a place of work, giving drivers peace of mind before they leave the house.
Interactive embeddable version of this map available here
RAC warns actions of a few are putting other road users at serious risk
NPCC roads policing lead: “We all have a responsibility to keep each other safe”
Almost half of UK police forces (48%) have caught motorists driving over 90mph on 30mph roads – more than three times the speed limit, new data analysed by the RAC has revealed.*
A Freedom of Information request to the UK’s 45 police forces also found that, of the 40 with data, almost all (90%) had clocked people driving at 60mph – more than twice the limit – on these roads.
With the highest recorded speed on any road being 167mph on a 70mph stretch of the M1 by Leicestershire Police, the new RAC study paints an alarming picture of the speeds some motorists have been caught driving at.
Looking at the largest difference between the speed recorded and the posted limit, the highest logged speed was 161mph on a 50mph eastbound stretch of the A303 in Somerset.
More than half of police forces (23, or 58%) recorded drivers travelling in excess of 140mph. While most of these contraventions were on 70mph motorway stretches, this wasn’t always the case. South Yorkshire Police clocked a driver at 146mph on a 50mph southbound stretch of the M1, while Police Scotland detected someone driving at 148mph on a 60mph section of the A68 in the Scottish Borders.
But perhaps most disturbing of all are the speeds some people are prepared to drive at on 20mph and 30mph roads – those that are far more likely to have high numbers of pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users using them.
South Yorkshire Police recorded a speed of 122mph on a 30mph road, while North Wales Police logged a vehicle being driven at 88mph on a 20mph road. Both speeds are more than four times faster than the speed limits.
In total, six-in-10 police forces (24) have caught motorists driving over twice the speed limit on 20mph roads, with seven recording speeds of more than 60mph.
Government data shows speed is the biggest factor reported in fatal road collisions – it is a factor in 58% of fatalities, and in 43% of road collisions of all severities. In 2023 speed contributed to 888 fatalities, and 39,882 collisions of all severities.**
RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “Although this data is a snapshot, it shines a light on the incredibly dangerous actions of a few, that are putting law-abiding road users at serious risk. Thankfully, the police were on hand to catch these drivers.
“There is no place for the vastly excessive speeds that some people are prepared to drive. While some speeds were recorded in the middle of the night when traffic will have been lighter, this isn’t always the case – some of the fastest drivers were clocked at other times of day when they’d have been sharing the roads with many others.
“Speed is the leading cause of deaths on UK roads. We look forward to the Government’s forthcoming road safety strategy understanding what can be done to reduce such avoidable casualties on the UK’s roads.”
National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for roads policing Chief Constable Jo Shiner said: “We know that some incidents of going over the speed limit can be genuine mistakes or errors but the speeds cited here are clearly drivers taking deliberate decisions to travel at excessive speeds, putting everyone at risk.
“Speed limits are set based on many factors including the road layout, what’s in the surrounding area and taking into account where there might be more vulnerable road users. Choosing to drive above those limits is reckless, selfish and completely unacceptable.
“We all have a responsibility to keep each other safe and do whatever we can to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads each day.”
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “One life lost on our roads is one too many and that’s why I’m committed to Vision Zero. No more deaths on our roads.
“Too many people are being killed or seriously injured and we need to act now. I’ve launched a Road Safety Action Plan and appointed the UK’s first dedicated road safety commissioner, Mat MacDonald, to make sure communities’ voices are heard and real action is taken to prevent more tragedies on our roads.”
The RAC’s study on speeding – one of the so-called ‘Fatal Four’ behaviours that cause most fatal collisions on the roads*** – follows its earlier work in January that identified a culture of speeding among some drivers in the UK.
Only 2% feel private parking companies enforce rules fairly
Two-thirds of drivers believe private parking ‘fines’ are excessive
Nine-in-10 don’t believe the private parking industry’s own code is fair to drivers
Drivers are frustrated that the Private Parking Code of Practice is still not in force five years after an act of parliament was passed to clamp down on rogue operators.
Eight-in-10 drivers (84%) questioned by the RAC* say it’s not right that, due to legal challenges from private parking operators and debt recovery companies, the official code still hasn’t been introduced.
Asked if private parking firms treat those who contravene parking rules fairly, only 2% of respondents agreed. Similarly, just 3% agreed with the statement ‘private parking companies charge a fair price and operate reasonably’.
More than half (55%) of those surveyed felt private parking companies’ enforcement policies were too heavy-handed, with 40% saying there is no justification whatsoever for the way they enforce their rules. This is undoubtedly why almost eight-in-10 (78%) believe private parking companies are only interested in making money from drivers. A fifth (18%), however, felt private parking operators were necessary to stop a parking free-for-all.
When questioned about the costs of parking charge notices issued by operators, nearly two-thirds (65%) say they understand fines were necessary but that they are excessive or disproportionate to the parking contraventions.
While the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government is working to finally introduce the government-backed Private Parking Code of Practice, the two major private parking trade bodies – the British Parking Association and the International Parking Community – launched their own code on 1 October.
Not backed by law, the private parking industry’s own code differs substantially from the proposed official government code. In its survey of 1,847 drivers, the RAC discovered that nine-in-10 (87%) don’t trust the private parking industry’s code to be fair to drivers.
When introduced, the official Private Parking Code of Practice should put a cap on parking charge notice ‘fine’ amounts, a cap on debt recovery fees and provide a single independent appeals service for drivers to use should they feel a private parking company has wrongly rejected an appeal.
It will also force operators to follow a code of conduct, with those that don’t potentially losing the right to operate. The rules firms will have to follow include a robust appeals process, a means of identifying vulnerable customers, issuing parking charge notices lawfully and not misleading drivers, providing photographic evidence of contraventions, not engaging debt recovery companies too soon, providing clear signage and terms and conditions that are easy to understand.
When asked about the visibility of private parking signage – that which explains the charges drivers must pay when parking on private land, along with terms and conditions – a quarter (27%) of those surveyed by the RAC said they didn’t see the signage indicating charges. Just over a third (35%) said they saw and read it while almost four-in-10 (38%) admitted they saw it but didn’t read it.
Among those who read the signs, nearly eight-in-10 (76%) had issues with seeing or understanding it, with only a fifth (20%) saying the terms and conditions were both clear to see and easy to understand.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “It’s blatantly apparent from our research that drivers continue to have severe misgivings about the way private parking companies operate and are therefore very frustrated that the official government-backed code of practice has still not been introduced more than five years after it became law.
“While this lack of trust may be partly addressed by the launch of the industry’s own code of practice, we suspect it’s unlikely to be enough as it’s not worded to be in the interest of drivers and, crucially, isn’t backed by law.
“We feel only the introduction of the real, government-backed code will bring much-needed fairness to the entire private parking sector. We badly need an acceptable cap on parking charge notices, along with a cap on debt recovery fees as, in our opinion, both are disproportionate to most parking contraventions.
“Finally, a truly independent single appeals system is needed for those who feel their initial appeal to the company concerned has not been listened to.”
Red Weather Warning for Wales and South West England: The Met Office has issued a rare red warning for Wales due to Storm Darragh, with winds expected to reach up to 90 mph, posing significant risks to safety and infrastructure.
Amber Warnings for Scotland and Northern Ireland: Scotland and Northern Ireland are also under amber warnings, anticipating severe weather conditions that could lead to widespread disruption.
Safety Precautions Urged: Authorities are advising residents to secure loose objects, avoid travel, and prepare for power outages to stay safe during the storm.
The Met Office has warned that gusts of up to 90 mph (144 km/h) or more are possible, particularly over the coasts and hills of west and south Wales. The caution is currently in place from 03:00 to 11:00 on Saturday, December 7th.
Additionally, amber warnings have been issued for Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well parts of the South West of England, with many events being cancelled across the UK.
The rare red weather warning has been issued for Wales ahead of Storm Darragh, which is expected to bring extremely strong and damaging winds this weekend.
Here are some important safety tips to help you stay safe:
Secure loose objects: Ensure that any loose items outside your home, such as garden furniture, are secured or brought indoors to prevent them from being blown away.
Avoid travel: If possible, avoid traveling during the peak of the storm. If you must travel, check the weather forecast and road conditions before setting off. Many events have now been cancelled
Stay indoors: Stay inside during the storm, especially during the peak hours from 03:00 to 11:00 GMT on Saturday, December 7th.
Prepare for power cuts: Have an emergency kit ready with essentials such as torches, batteries, and non-perishable food in case of power outages.
Stay away from windows: Keep away from windows and glass doors to avoid injury from flying debris.
Charge your devices: Ensure your mobile phone and other essential devices are fully charged.
Check on vulnerable neighbours: If it is safe to do so, ensure that they are secure and have everything they need. .
RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “A red weather warning is highly unusual and should be heeded as it can indicate a risk to life.
“With parts of Wales and the South West set to be battered by the wind between 3am and 11am on Saturday, we strongly advise drivers to postpone their journeys if they can. Anyone who must drive should stick to major roads, reduce their speed significantly, always keep a firm grip of the steering wheel and be on high alert for debris in the road.
“Exposed rural and coastal routes will be particularly treacherous. Drivers in these areas should be wary of any high-sided vehicles as they are at risk of being buffeted off course or, worse still, blown over. We also suggest parking well away from large trees due to the danger of falling branches or whole trees being uprooted.”
For more detailed advice on staying safe during strong winds, you can visit the Met Office’s stay safe in winter driving page and the RoSPA website
A record funding boost will see the biggest spend on improvements to the Capital’s roads and infrastructure projects in nearly a decade.
The Roads and Infrastructure Investment – Capital Delivery Priorities for 2024/25 report, to be considered by Transport and Environment Committee on Thursday (25 April), allocates an additional £12.5m approved in February as part of the Council’s budget-setting process.
The extra investment brings the total roads and infrastructure capital budget to £22.986m.
The additional £12.5m of funding will be used to improve the road conditions, pavements and improve paths, and is part of the council’s capital budget allocated across six different workstreams, including: road operations and structures, street lighting and traffic signals, carriageways and footways.
These schemes have been prioritised to the areas based on agreed criteria and weighting. 5% is applied to roads on the cycle network, promoting renewal schemes most used by cyclists. Edinburgh is the only local authority in Scotland to include such a weighting and reinforces the Council’s commitment to active travel.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: ““We’re committed to improving our roads, pavements and infrastructure. The latest injection in funding will allow us to significantly increase the number of improvement schemes to enhance the condition of our roads and pavements.
“In total, we will resurface over 400,000 square metres of roads and footpaths. Additionally, will spend £500,000 on reinforcing the carriageway at bus stops and will double our spending on dropping kerbs.
“This funding builds on last year’s record spend of £11m which saw improvements to more square metres of roads and pavements than in any other financial year.
“Residents have shared their concerns regarding the state of our roads and footpaths, and we have listened. We need to get the basics right, and this intensive programme of investment is essential for a safe, usable network. While we won’t get footpaths and roads back to where we want them to be in one year, this investment will help get out capital back on track. Indeed, we hope to maintain this level of activity for at least three years.”
Other areas for investment are street lighting and traffic signals, for which £1.120m is being proposed for upgrades, and the city’s 3,366 bridges and road structures – £0.845m has been set aside for their maintenance, in addition to the major North Bridge refurbishment project which is due to complete in 2025.
RAC: Pothole-related breakdowns ‘spring’ forward by 50% in 2024
The RAC attended nearly 8,000 (7,904) breakdowns in the first quarter of 2024 due to bad road surfaces, up 53% on the last three months of 2023, a clear sign that the UK is suffering a pothole epidemic as roads continue to crumble.
Analysis from the driving services company shows it’s been far from a smooth start to the year for the nation’s drivers, with pothole-related breakdown numbers up by 10% in the last 12 months from 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024. In this period, the RAC went out to 27,205 breakdowns, 2,299 more than the 24,906 incidents it attended between 1st April 2022 and 31st March 2023.
But the RAC believes drivers may have actually ‘dodged the pothole bullet’ in what is normally the worst three months of the year for them. Milder weather led to patrol call-out rates dropping by 22% from 10,076 last year to 7,094 in 2024.
During the winter months, sub-zero temperatures normally cause more surface deterioration as water gets into cracks in the road, freezes and expands. In the first three months of 2024, while there was an average of 121mm of rain – 22% more than normal – the milder weather meant there were only seven days of frost, against the usual average of nine. This potentially limited the number of brand new potholes forming.
For this reason, the RAC doesn’t believe the decrease in pothole-related breakdowns – damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs and distorted wheels – is a sign of road conditions improving.
In fact the RAC Pothole Index, which measures the likelihood of suffering one of these call-outs, increased, meaning drivers are even more likely to experience damage now than they were 12 months ago.
And compared to 2006 when the RAC first began tracking these faults, drivers are now nearly twice as likely (1.76 or 76% more likely than 2006) to experience pothole damage.
Eight-in-10 drivers affected say problem is getting worse
A glaring problem: RAC calls for government action on headlight glare as eight-in-10 drivers affected say the problem is getting worse …
The RAC is calling on the Government to commission an independent study into the issue of headlight glare after new research found 85% of those affected believe the problem is getting worse.*
An RAC survey of 2,000 drivers found a huge nine-in-10 (89%) think at least some headlights on cars on the road today are too bright, of which three-in-10 (28%) – a higher proportion than ever – think most are. Of the all these drivers who complain about the brightness of car headlights, some 91% say they get dazzled when driving with three-quarters (74%) saying this happens regularly.
When it comes to the effects of glare on drivers, two-in-three (67%) who suffer say they have to slow down considerably until they can see clearly again, while a similar proportion (64%) believe some headlights are so bright they risk causing accidents. In fact, five per cent of these drivers state they have nearly been involved in a collision themselves.
Alarmingly, nearly one-in-10 (7%) say they find headlight glare so bad that they avoid driving at night altogether, a figure that rises to 14% for drivers aged 65 and over.
While the RAC has been surveying drivers on dazzling headlights since 2018, these new findings show more drivers than ever appear to be suffering from them, with 85% of those affected stating they believe the problem is getting worse.
As part of its study, the RAC asked drivers to estimate how long it takes them to see clearly again after getting dazzled by other drivers’ lights. While 68% say it takes between one and five seconds, one-in-10 (11%) say it takes six or more – which, staggeringly, is enough for a driver travelling at 60mph to cover 160 metres, the equivalent of 40 car lengths.
The reasons drivers perceive headlight glare to be such an issue are less clear, although an overwhelming 87% of dazzled drivers think it is mainly due to the fact some lights just appear much brighter.
This could be as a result of the increasing prevalence of cars fitted with LED headlights, leading to a much more intense and focused beam that the human eye reacts differently to, compared to a conventional ‘yellower’ halogen bulb. While LED headlights are great for improving a driver’s view of the road ahead, this can be to the detriment of other road users who encounter them.
However, more than four-in-10 (44%) think the dazzling is caused by badly aligned headlights. A Freedom of Information request submitted to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in November 2023 shows that since 2019, an average of 1.6m, or 5%, of Class 4 vehicles – which includes passenger cars – failed their MOTs as a result of poor headlight aim.**
What’s more, with the DVSA stating in 2016 that ‘headlamp aim consistently tops the MOT compliance survey as one of the most likely items to be assessed incorrectly by testers’, the actual figure could be much higher.***
The increasing popularity of cars that sit higher on the road, especially SUVs, may also be a factor with those in conventional cars such as hatchbacks, saloons or estates suffering the most. Six-in-10 drivers (62%) of conventional cars blame the dazzling on higher vehicles, whereas only 35% of those in higher vehicles point the finger similarly sized vehicles.
But whatever the cause or causes of headlight glare, it is clear how strongly drivers feel about the issue with 81% saying more should be done to tackle it – a figure that rises to 87% among drivers aged 45 to 54.
Government collision statistics shows that since 2013, there has been an average of 280 collisions a year where dazzling headlights were a contributory factor. Of these, six a year involved someone losing their life. The actual number may be higher if an investigation was unable to determine whether or not a collision was directly or indirectly caused by the glare from another vehicle’s headlights.
As a result of the sentiment among drivers, the RAC has raised the issue of headlight glare with the Department for Transport and has been working with a member of the House of Lords, Baroness Hayter, to make drivers’ concerns known among Government officials.
The RAC provided details of its research to go into a report published last week and will be meeting with the Government this month to discuss it.
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Our figures suggest drivers are more concerned than ever about headlight glare, with a huge proportion wanting to see something done about it.
“We urgently need the Government to take a closer look at the issue, ideally by commissioning an independent study to understand what’s causing an increase in reports of dazzling and, most importantly, what can do be done to keep drivers safe.
“With spring still a long way off, there’s a good chance many people will do most of their driving in darkness over the next few months and, according to our research, that means an awful lot of drivers will experience the discomfort and even danger that comes from being dazzled by headlights.
“On the one hand, brighter headlights can be a good thing as they give drivers a clearer and safer view of the road view of the road, but that appears to come at a cost for those on the receiving end of excessively bright lights.
“The numbers of reported road casualties where headlight glare was listed as a contributing factor might be small when compared to something like speeding, but that only tells part of the story. Is it right we have such a high proportion of drivers who feel unsafe when they’re driving at night, with some having even given up night-time trips altogether?”
Mike Bowen, Director of Knowledge and Research at the College of Optometrists, said: “The results from this research by the RAC are helpful to inform our understanding of how changes in vehicle headlight technologies may be affecting both the functional vision of young and older drivers, and their visual comfort, when driving at night.
“Older drivers are likely to be disproportionately affected by headlight glare, so may be more likely to experience difficulties or to decide not to drive at night at all.
“We urge the Government to commission more technical and clinical research to have a better understanding of this issue and what should be done to ease the effects of dazzling headlights.”
Baroness Hayter said: “The RAC has demonstrated that some car headlights can dazzle, causing a danger for oncoming drivers. We know drivers in other countries share this concern.
“So, government should take action now to be on the side of road safety and ensure everyone keeps to the Highway Code, which states drivers ‘must not use any lights in a way which would dazzle other road users’.”
IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards Nicholas Lyes said: “Drivers are increasingly telling us they are concerned by modern headlights and some are now even limiting the amount of time they spend driving during darkness to avoid glare.
“Being dazzled by a headlight has a worrying impact on road safety and we need policymakers to take this matter seriously.”
Dealing with glare – what to do if you find you’re getting dazzled
Always use your rear-view mirror properly at night. Some newer cars have self-dimming rear-view mirrors that can reduce dazzle from vehicles behind – if you’re changing your car soon, look for one that has such a mirror fitted. But most drivers still need to manually adjust their mirrors in the dark to reduce glare. About half the drivers surveyed by the RAC who reported getting dazzled said they do so at night (54%).
Speak to your optometrist. Just 6% of drivers told the RAC they’d talked to their optician about glare. For those who wear glasses, a glare-minimising coating can help – something a quarter (25%) of affected drivers said they are benefitting from.
