Driving standards ‘falling’

Most drivers think the standard of driving on British roads has got worse in the past year, a What Car? poll reveals.

A resounding 79% of motorists are worried that driving standards are falling. Only 9% think that the quality of driving in Britain has improved in the past 12 months.

Although happy to criticise their peers, nearly half the drivers polled think they are good drivers, according to What Car? research. It showed that 47% of respondents thought their own driving had actually improved in the past year.

What Car? polled 1035 people on its website, whatcar.com.

Deaths on UK roads fell by just 1%, or 20 fatalities, last year. Official figures from the Department for Transport show that 3201 people lost their lives in 2005, compared with 3221 in 2004.

The DfT’s goal is to reduce deaths and serious injuries by 40% by 2010, compared with averages taken between 1994 and 1998.

What Car? editor Steve Fowler said: ‘To make our roads safer, all drivers need to look at their own driving skills. We are all guilty of criticising other drivers, but maybe we should all be a little more self-critical and put right the bad habits we pick up over the many years behind the wheel.

‘Cars on sale today are equipped with life-saving safety features and technology, but there’s no substitute for a careful, experienced driver who reads and understands the dangers that lie ahead.’