"M25 drivers" put skill first in safety survey

Drivers in London and the South East recognise driver ability as the key safety factor in any car journey, according to a poll conducted by the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists), published as the Motor Show returns to London after almost 30 years.

The BRMB poll showed 61 per cent of drivers surveyed in and around the M25 ranked driver ability as more important in safety terms than seat belts, (34 per cent) airbags (three per cent) or speed cameras (which scored just one per cent). Another one per cent replied none of these.

But when asked "what in your opinion is the single most important safety factor in any car journey?" only 39 per cent of drivers in East Anglia put driver ability first, and in the North, just 25 per cent acknowledged the importance of driver ability.

Exactly half of the drivers polled in the West Midlands – the traditional home of the NEC Motor Show - saw driver skill as important in preventing crashes.

Drivers surveyed nationally who had admitted to having a crash over the last two years were less likely to blame the lack of driver ability, preferring to cite unexpected hazards (32 per cent) and driving too close to the vehicle in front (10 per cent).

"This survey is a bit of a shock – there is clearly confusion surrounding what contributes to a potential crashes," explained IAM Chief Executive Christopher Bullock.

"Collisions are not just ‘accidents’: they are caused by human error. Driver skill gives the ability to not only anticipate unexpected hazards but also to set safer following distances. And while seat belts and airbags are great innovations, neither of them actually prevents the crash happening in the first place. They do precious little for the more vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians. That is where the skill of the driver is so important. Drivers should recognise the need for that responsibility and be prepared to act accordingly," he said.

"Perhaps those who have to cope with daily congestion in London and the South East are that much more realistic about how crashes happen because they see more of them. Surveys indicate that so-called road traffic accidents cause 24 per cent of congestion, and the M25 Heathrow stretch is one of the busiest motorways in Europe."

Mr Bullock said that perceptions and attitudes to driver safety were an important first step to improving behaviour, as illustrated by recent research by Brunel University.