Tag: road safety

89 dashcam videos of driving offences sent to police every day

‘Always drive as if you are being watched by the police’ – RAC says dashcams are a ‘game changer’ in enforcement

As many as 89 dashcam video recordings of alleged motoring offences were submitted to police forces every day in 2019, according to data analysed by the RAC.

A total of 32,370 pieces of footage were received by 24 police forces that accept video evidence of driving offences from members of the public, double the number recorded in 2018 (15,159). Data from the RAC’s freedom of information request also shows that a quarter of these (25% – 8,148) went on to result in prosecutions.

Police forces, according to the RAC’s study, are making it increasingly easy for drivers and other road users to submit camera footage of unsuspecting alleged rule-breakers, with all of Britain’s 44 forces now accepting dashcam video, and the vast majority online via their websites.

The greatest number of potentially prosecutable offences in 2019 were – perhaps unsurprisingly – submitted to The Met Police, a total of 8,082. Surrey had the second highest tally with 3,542, followed by West Midlands – 3,242 in third spot and Gwent – 3,037 – in fourth. Greater Manchester received the fifth highest number of dashcam videos with 2,940.

The footage submitted to police related to the following offences: dangerous driving, careless driving/driving without due care and attention, driving too close to cyclists, contravening red traffic lights, contravening double white lines, contravening ‘no entry’ signs, illegal use of a handheld mobile phone and evidence of vehicles apparently without MOTs.

RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams said: “Even before the decline in the number of roads police enforcing traffic offences, law-abiding drivers were often frustrated that there was never an officer there to deal with infringements they witnessed.

“The advent of dashcams, phones with cameras and helmet cameras have been a game changer as drivers can now easily submit footage to almost every police force.

“As so many drivers and cyclists are now using dashcams and helmet cameras every road user needs to be very conscious that any of their actions that aren’t in accordance with the law could end up with the police. Some will inevitably find this out the hard way while others will hopefully become increasingly mindful of it.

“In terms of how effective dashcams are from a law enforcement point of view our freedom of information request shows that one-in-four footage submissions lead to a successful prosecution.

“There are no doubt numerous reasons why this figure isn’t higher, but we suspect it has to do with the recorded evidence not being as conclusive as it needs to be. This may be due to the nature of the offence, with certain offences such as double white line, red traffic light and ‘no entry’ contraventions being easier to determine than illegal handheld mobile phone use and careless driving.

“It might also be the case that footage filmed on mobile phones is not as comprehensive for officers to work with as video evidence from dashcams and helmet cams which film live footage continuously when the vehicle is in motion. Those choosing to submit mobile phone video – whether as passengers or pedestrians – may well have missed the worst of the alleged offence as they reached to capture it.

“With more and more people getting dashcams the message for 2021 has to be: always drive as if you’re being watched by the police. If more drivers who are inclined to break the laws of the road were to think this way, the safer the roads would be for all of us.”

The RAC stocks a range of dashcams at varying price points at: 

www.racshop.co.uk/dash-cams.

Pothole ‘threat to personal safety’

Potholes overtake texting and drink driving in problem ratings

Potholes are perceived by motorists to be a much more significant concern on the road than they were three years ago, overtaking texting and drink driving as a worsening problem according to the findings of a new report from the UK’s largest road safety charity.

IAM RoadSmart’s annual Safety Culture Report, which tracks drivers’ changing attitudes to key road safety issues over time, discovered that three in four motorists (75 per cent) now perceive potholes to be a bigger issue for road users than they were three years ago. This was followed by driver distraction (68 per cent) – such as texting or talking on a mobile phone – and traffic congestion (65 per cent).

Further findings from the report, now in its sixth year and which involves surveying more than 2,000 motorists, also discovered that around nine in ten (89 per cent) drivers have been affected by potholes over the last year.

Meanwhile, just over one in three (31 per cent) drivers had changed their route to avoid a pothole with, more worryingly, more than half (54 per cent) having had to steer away or brake hard to avoid impact and damage.

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy & Research, said: “The pothole situation on UK roads has now become much more than just irritating, it’s a significant threat to personal safety.

“We simply can’t have vehicles swerving into oncoming traffic or slamming on their brakes without warning to avoid them. Deteriorating roads also put pedestrians and cyclists at greater risk.

“It is clearly a sign of the times when motorists perceive potholes to be a bigger growing concern to them than drink driving and texting. And while the statistics show that the devastating impacts of using a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or using a mobile phone when driving still remain, it does highlight that it is time for government to take potholes seriously and fix the UK’s road network.”

Regionally, eight in ten (81 per cent) motorists in the South East considered potholes to be a bigger road safety issue than three years ago, compared with around six in ten in London (61 per cent) and the North East (64 per cent).

It is currently estimated that there are some 42,675 miles of UK roads classed as being in POOR structural condition, costing an estimated £11.14 billion to bring them up to a level which they could be maintained cost effectively going forward, according to Asphalt Industry Alliance*.

However, IAM RoadSmart’s research found of those motorists who had experienced a pothole only around one in ten (12 per cent) had enough damage to their car caused by the pothole to require a repair and only around one in six (16 per cent) had reported a pothole to the authorities.

Less than one in ten (7 per cent) made a claim for the damage.

Crash statistics raise concerns over volume of cycling casualties

Figures released by the Department for Transport have revealed that UK traffic collisions in the 12 months up to June 2020 are down 16 per cent and road deaths have reduced by 14 per cent compared to the equivalent period in the preceding year.

The research indicated that there were 131,220 casualties of all severities (compared to 156,034 previously) and 1,580 road deaths (down from 1,827 the previous year), representing significant reductions.

The decline in UK road deaths and casualties is directly linked to the reduction in traffic as a result of national lockdown restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2020, for example, during the first lockdown which commenced on 23rd March, casualties fell by 67 per cent as road traffic reduced by 49 per cent.

Neil Greig, Director of Policy & Research at the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, said: “Despite fears that speeding has increased substantially during the first lockdown it does now look as if the number of casualties has gone down in line with falling traffic numbers. This is certainly good news as it shows that the vast majority of car, van and lorry stuck drivers to the rules. 

“However, the only way to confirm these trends and measure the true impact of local traffic closures and temporary cycle lanes is for the government to publish more details on what has happened throughout the rest of 2020. 

“IAM RoadSmart thinks that it is unacceptable that we may have to wait until June 2021 to get the full picture for UK road safety during the pandemic. Other countries seem to be able to produce crash statistics much more quickly, allowing planners to deal with safety issues as they emerge and not after the event.”

While the reduction in overall casualties is good news for road safety generally, the reduction in casualties for cyclists were however less impressive, with the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured down just four per cent in the period covered by the DfT’s report, compared with 26 per cent of car users and 25 per cent for all other road users in the same period.

Neil concluded: “While motor traffic reduced as a result of national lockdowns, cycling traffic increased and there has unfortunately not been the same positive impact on cycling casualties when compared with other road users.

“We therefore urge all road users to continue to be extra vigilant for cyclists as more people take to their bikes during lockdown.”  

The full report from DfT can be found here.

Early green light for city centre cyclists

The council has installed new advanced green lights for cyclists in the city centre to help improve cycle safety around tram tracks.

The lights, which have been introduced at a number of locations around Princes Street, St Andrew Square and the West End, give cyclists more space and time at key junctions.

This is the latest in a series of measures to improve safety for people cycling near the city centre tram route over recent years. These include red-surfaced cycle lanes at key points to make it easier to cross the tram tracks, more advance stop boxes and additional warning signs for drivers and cyclists.

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “Cycle safety is of utmost importance to us, and in recent years we have worked to introduce several changes to help protect cyclists travelling near the tram tracks.

“By introducing early release green lights for cyclists we are giving anyone travelling by bike more space at a number of busy junctions around the city centre.”

Drivers are being advised to look out for the early release green lights for cyclists. Drivers must wait for their own green light and are encouraged to give people cycling a lot of extra space around tram tracks.

The council has recently introduced several measures to create safer spaces for walking and cycling in the city centre as part of the Spaces for People programme.

Amongst these are temporary segregated cycle lanes between Forrest Road and the Mound, the closure of Waverley Bridge to motor traffic at the junction with Princes Street and widened pavements on East Princes Street and South St David Street.

Advanced green lights for people cycling have been installed on specific approach arms at the following junctions:

  • North St Andrew Street / St Andrew Square
  • South St Andrew Street / St Andrew Square
  • Princes Street / The Mound
  • Princes Street / Frederick Street
  • Princes Street / Lothian Road
  • Shandwick Place / Princes Street
  • Atholl Place / Manor Place
  • West Maitland Street / Palmerston Place
  • Dalry Road / Haymarket Junction

Find out more about tram safety on the Council website.

Better training is essential to make ADAS a safety benefit and not a potential hazard

Vehicle manufacturers, dealerships, DVSA (Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency) and driving instructors should include a comprehensive lesson for motorists on how to use advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) so they are a road safety benefit and not a potential hazard, says IAM RoadSmart.

The urgent call has been made by the UK’s largest independent road safety charity following the publication of a highly influential report by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) entitled ‘How to maximize the road safety benefits of ADAS’.

Some of the most widely known ADAS – many of which will become mandatory in new vehicles from July 2022 – include adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking systems, lane keeping assist and driver monitoring for drowsiness and distraction recognition.

However, awareness and understanding of these systems is generally low among drivers. The FIA’s report finds that most users do not receive any training when first encountering ADAS but have to rely on information from the user manual, and most alarmingly by applying a ‘trial-and-error’ method.

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy & Research, said: “Advanced driver assistance systems have the potential to improve road safety, but only if used correctly.

“If used incorrectly, not least without a full understanding of what the systems are and are not capable of, they can have the opposite effect, with potentially worrying consequences for all road users.

“IAM RoadSmart therefore believes the time has now come to include a comprehensive lesson from every car dealer supplying vehicles and further, for more about ADAS to be included in the UK driving test. This is crucial as these tools begin to be supplied as standard on an increasing number of vehicles.”

Meanwhile, further recommendations from the FIA report, which IAM RoadSmart endorses, include a comprehensive explanation to end-users of the systems’ limitations, more consistently accurate functioning of ADAS in practice and the introduction of fail-safe communications to alert users if any of the systems fail, helping to mitigate any potential road safety risk.

Neil added: “There needs to be a much higher emphasis on educating drivers in the best use of technology. Vehicle manufacturers and car dealerships are key, ensuring that when a customer drives off the forecourt they understand and use the various safety systems correctly.

“Until this becomes the norm, IAM RoadSmart is exploring the potential for video tutorials that will plug the current gap.” (See below)

The dos and don’ts of de-icing your vehicle

British drivers can prevent the timely process of clearing ice from their cars with these ten tips and tricks – and avoid any fines or penalty points in the process.

Experts from LeaseVan.co.uk have compiled a list of dos and don’ts for de-icing vehicles, and have advised on how you can avoid it altogether.

As the temperature drops below freezing, water vapour in the air is cooled, causing frost and ice.

And because windscreens and windows are made of glass, they tend to freeze over much quicker than any other part of vehicles.

The Highway Code clearly states that windows and windscreens must be kept clean and free of obstructions to vision – breaking this rule could result in a fine and points on your licence.

Tim Alcock, from LeaseVan.co.uk, said: “For many, these points will be common knowledge, but you can guarantee there’ll be someone in the UK trying to use an old ABBA Gold CD to scrape a thick layer of ice from their car this cold snap – resulting in a severely scratched windscreen that will cost hundreds to repair.

“As well as following the advice we’ve compiled here, there are also some preventative measures you can take to save yourself the hassle of having to scrape your car every morning.

“Cover your windshield with a tarp, towel or sheet, and weigh it down to prevent ice from building up. Don’t use this method if we’re expecting heavy snow, however, as it could be difficult to remove underneath inches of the white stuff.

“You could also mix up one-part water to three-parts vinegar and spray across the windscreen and windows the night before. Vinegar has a low freezing point, which makes short work of the frost and perfect for de-icing.

“And if you’ve got a garage, use it. By protecting your car from the elements, you significantly reduce the amount of elbow grease needed to remove ice after a frost.”

DO

1. Start your car and let it warm up – but stay in the vehicle!

If your car or van has a ‘defrost’ setting on the temperature gauge, switch it on. It could take around fifteen minutes for the glass to get warm on the inside and melt the ice on your windscreen. 

2. Make sure no ice, snow or other materials are blocking the exhaust pipe.

While your vehicle is warming up, make sure nothing is blocking your car’s exhaust pipe to prevent the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning.

3. Spray your car or van with a saltwater solution

This will dissolve the ice with a chemical reaction rather than melting it with heat. The ions in salt also lower the freezing point of water, making it difficult for it to refreeze. Apply the solution sparingly, as heavy application could damage the glass.

4. Use a made-for-purpose ice scraper to chip ice off your windscreen

It’s a good idea to keep one in your car or van at all times. Put it into the windshield and use short, powerful strokes to chip the ice away.

5. Keep a bottle of de-icer in your vehicle

They’re available from most garages for a couple of pounds and reduce the amount of effort needed to clear your car in the morning.

6. Leave plenty of time to defrost your car or van properly

About 10-15 minutes should do it. Don’t try and drive off if your windows aren’t completely clear.

DON’T

1. Start your car and let it warm up – and then leave it

You could risk a £20 fine and three penalty points for leaving your vehicle to defrost while the engine is idling. It also makes you an easy target for thieves, too.

2. Try to defrost the windscreen using hot, cold or warm water

Using warm or hot water could cause the glass to crack and break due to thermal shock, when the temperature changes really suddenly.

3. Just make a peephole in the middle of the ice or snow and then drive off

This could result in a £60 fine and three points on your licence for driving with limited vision.

4. Use anything but a made-for-purpose ice scraper to chip ice from your windscreen

When rushing to get to work in the morning, it’s easy to reach for the nearest flat object – like a bank card or CD – to scrape the ice off, but using anything other than a car or van ice scraper could lead to a severely scratched windscreen

Breakdown advice for motorists

As the days get shorter and colder, motorists are being offered advice on what they should do if they breakdown.

The experts at LeaseCar.uk have put together their tips to give drivers a helping hand if they find themselves ground to a halt.

Advice varies slightly depending on whether cars are on the motorway or driving in the countryside, but the overriding rule is to find somewhere safe to stop.

Among other advice is to get out of the vehicle and ensure the car is visible to others on the road.

Tim Alcock from LeaseCar.uk said: “Breaking down can be overwhelming particularly if it’s cold, the weather conditions are poor and you’re not sure where you are.

“The general rules are to pull over somewhere safe and to make sure the vehicle is visible to other road users. If you have breakdown cover, call them to get the recovery in process.

“What you do next very much depends on where you’ve broken down and how vulnerable you and your passengers feel.”

Here is LeaseCar.uk’s breakdown advice:

1. Stop safely

It’s important to get your car off the road, if you can, to avoid obstructing traffic and causing any unnecessary incidents. That can be harder on a motorway but where possible pull off at the next exit or onto the hard shoulder, stopping as far to the left as you can.

2. Make your car visible

Your car needs to be visible to other motorists, particularly if it’s dark or the weather conditions are poor. Make sure hazard lights are on and sidelights if it’s dark or foggy. Do not put a warning triangle out – the priority is to get off the road.

3. Stay safe

The advice is to get out of your car using the doors furthest away from the traffic and wait behind a barrier. If you’re on a motorway, try and move up a bank where possible. Leave any animals in the car.

4. Be seen
if you have high vis jackets or waistcoats, put them on so you’re seen.

5. Warning triangles

If you’re on a motorway, do not use a warning triangle – your priority is to get away from traffic. If you’re on a quieter road and it’s safe, a triangle can be placed at least 45m behind your vehicle.

6. On a smart motorway

Smart motorways use technology to manage and keep an eye on the flow of traffic. The hard shoulder may be used as an extra lane, so if you breakdown and can’t get off the road, pull into one of the emergency refuge areas. If it’s safe, get out of the car. If you breakdown in a live lane, stay in the car with your seatbelt on and call for help.

7. In a city

Try to find a safe spot and put on your hazard lights. Open the bonnet if you can to show others you’ve broken down and you’re not just waiting by the side of the road.

8. In the countryside

If you are not causing an obstruction, there’s no need to put your hazard lights on. Instead stay in your car until recovery arrives. If you feel at risk, lock the doors.

9. In a car park

This is one of the safest places to breakdown. Open your bonnet so the recovery vehicles can find you. If you don’t want to stay with your car, wait by the entrance and you can guide the breakdown team to your vehicle.

The motorists’ guide to driving in winter

Ice, wind and snow are some of the driving conditions motorists have been advised how to tackle in a new driving guide.

Driving experts from LeaseVan.co.uk have created a guide to driving in winter so motorists are prepared and safe on the roads no matter what the weather.

The key in most difficult conditions is to slow down and ensure drivers are in complete control of the vehicle.

Watching how other motorists are tackling the weather will also help prepare drivers for what is coming up ahead of them.

A spokesperson for LeaseVan.co.uk said: “Wintertime is undoubtedly the hardest time of year to be hitting the roads. 

“With short days it means that many journeys are taken in the dark and the unpredictable weather could mean you’re tackling wind one day and snow the next.

“This handy little guide provides the key points you should be aware of when driving in all winter weather conditions.”

This is LeaseVan.co.uk’s ultimate winter driving guide:

1. Ice

Ensure your vehicle is fully defrosted if there’s been a particularly cold night. Check your tyre tread and inflation levels in order to give you as much traction as possible when on icy surfaces. Driving slowly and in higher gears will give you more control over the vehicle and helping you cope with increased stopping distances. It’s important to remember not to brake or accelerate too quickly as this is a sure way to lose control. 

2. Wind

It’s important to keep a firm grip on your steering wheel when tackling strong winds. As always, you should be driving in the centre of the lane as this allows a small amount of wiggle space if the wind does push you to one side. Take special care when overtaking – beware of sudden gusts as you clear the vehicle, especially if it is large. 

3. Heavy rain

It’s important to driver slower when it’s raining due to the roads being wetter giving the vehicle less grip. This means that you will need a bigger space to come to a complete stop than when driving in the dry. Heavy rain can also have a large impact on visibility, which again means you should slow down. Reducing speed will also help reduce the risk of aquaplaning.

4. Darkness

Your lights are your best friends when driving in the dark, but it’s important to use them responsibly. Many vehicles now come with automatic lights, but if you have a vehicle which doesn’t it’s important to remember to turn them on, and off, when needed. Stick to full beam lights if you’re on a motorway or lit road. If you’re on a quiet country road remember to turn your fog lights on and off as and when you approach other vehicles. 

5. Snow

If you end up in snow, set off in second gear as this helps avoid wheelspin. Stay in the lower gears to keep as much control as possible, even when going downhill. The key to driving in snow is to break, accelerate and change gears as smoothly and gently as you can. 

Strong support for ban on cyclists wearing headphones

The UK’s largest independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, is highlighting the findings from a recent survey which revealed that the majority of road users from around the world support banning people from wearing headphones while cycling and is calling for urgent debate on this important issue while changes to the Highway Code are being considered.

In the survey, conducted across 32 countries by the E-Survey of Road Users’ Attitudes (ESRA), two-thirds (65.8 per cent) of the 35,000 respondents internationally were in support of introducing a ban on cyclists wearing headphones.

Support was a little higher in the UK where 68.2 per cent of people – more than two in three – said that they were in favour of the ban.

Across Europe, support for the ban on cyclists wearing headphones varied. Spain felt most strongly about the introduction of the policy with nearly 80 per cent of all road users surveyed in that country voting in its favour.

Finland felt least strongly, with only one in three (36 per cent) believing the ban would be a good move. In Germany and Hungary, support for the ban was at similar levels to those in the UK at 69.8 per cent and 69.9 per cent respectively.

The European average was 66.5 per cent in support of the ban, with even cycle-loving Holland and Denmark showing small majorities in favour of new controls. This was matched in countries further afield, with most respondents supporting the ban on cyclists wearing headphones across North America, Asia and Africa. 

Internationally, female road users were more in favour than males of a ban on  headphones or earbuds while cycling, and this was true across all of the continents surveyed: Asia (80 per cent), Europe (69 per cent), Africa (83 per cent) and North America (62 per cent).

Unsurprisingly, those aged 18 to 24 were most against the introduction of any controls on their personal listening habits and internationally an average of only 53.5 per cent of this age group supported the ban. In Europe, support among young people was markedly lower at just four in ten (44.1 per cent) of 18 to 24-year-olds believing the ban would be a good idea.

Neil Greig, Policy and Research Director at IAM RoadSmart, said: “It’s clear that the majority of road users are very concerned about distracted cyclists wearing headphones or earbuds while riding. These findings were consistent right across the world in this substantial survey.

“Being plugged in to either headphones or earbuds is the ultimate distraction, as it completely shuts you off to your surroundings, creating a potential road safety risk to yourself, pedestrians and other road users around you. This is even more critical with the popularity and increasing prevalence of noise-cancelling equipment.

“There are plans to update the Highway Code being discussed as we speak, so now is a great time to have an informed debate about the best way for cyclists to avoid potentially fatal distractions.”

Drivers and motorcyclists unconvinced by proposed new Highway Code

A recent survey has discovered that the majority of road users aren’t in favour of many of the Department for Transport’s proposed changes to the Highway Code which have been designed to improve road safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders.

They believe that the changes will instead increase conflict and potentially reduce the safety of the vulnerable road users they are intended to protect.

In the survey, conducted by the UK’s largest road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, 71 per cent of drivers and motorcyclists believe the new proposal to give pedestrians priority when turning into and out of junctions, for example, will increase conflict rather than reducing it, with more than half (57 per cent) thinking this will be a significant issue.

Of the 3,600 web poll respondents, 74 per cent believe that children should be allowed to cycle on the pavement, but only 23 per cent feel that cyclists in general should have the same rights.

Almost three quarters (73 per cent) think that the new Highway Code should make it compulsory for cyclists to wear a helmet, in contrast to the proposed Code itself which, while restating the evidence that wearing a cycle helmet reduces the risk of sustaining a head injury in certain circumstances, stops short of making them compulsory.

Meanwhile, 71 per cent of people agree with the general concept that drivers and riders should give motorcyclists, cyclists, horse riders, horse drawn vehicles and pedestrians walking in the road at least as much room as they would when overtaking a car.

On the new Code’s most controversial suggestions – to establish a hierarchy of road users, where those in charge of the vehicles that can cause the greatest harm should bear the greatest responsibility to take care – the majority (56 per cent) agree that this is the right way forward, but 26 per cent are against and almost one in five (19 per cent) are still to be convinced either way.  

The new Code doesn’t suggest any obligation on cyclists to use cycle lanes or tracks when they are present, and a resounding 80 per cent of IAM RoadSmart’s poll respondents believe this is a mistake.

However, some of the proposed changes were met with widespread support, with 63 per cent of those surveyed agreeing with the new advice that when riding a bike on busy roads, when vehicles are moving faster than them, cyclists should move over and allow traffic to overtake them.

There is also strong support for every proposal that contains clear guidelines on passing distances, with 78 per cent in favour of the one and a half-metre gap between cyclist and vehicle travelling below 30mph, with a two-metre gap when above 30mph.

And 90 per cent agree with the new Code’s advice that drivers and motorcyclists should give horse riders at least two metres’ space and pass at speeds under 15 mph.

Finally, just over half (57 per cent) agree with the new proposal to include the ‘Dutch Reach’ in the Highway Code. This is a technique which advises motorists leaving their vehicles to do so by using their left hand to operate the door handle, allowing the driver to naturally twist their body, making it easier to look over their shoulder and check for cyclists or other road users approaching.

Neil Greig, Policy and Research Director at IAM RoadSmart, said: “Regardless of what changes are introduced, it is clear there will be a need for a huge education campaign to ensure any amendments to the Highway Code are understood and fully adopted by the millions of existing UK drivers, motorcyclists and road users.

“At IAM RoadSmart we believe an online resource to help with this re-education in an engaging way would be helpful.

“The simple truth is that most of us don’t read the Highway Code unless we drive or ride professionally, or are about to take a test. The Department for Transport needs to be realistic about the impact simply changing a seldom read document will have on the behavior and safety of road users.”