Motorists: we want more police patrols

Britain’s motorists are calling for more traffic police to address their growing fears about bad drivers and safety and crime on today’s roads.

Forty two per cent of respondents – equivalent to more than 10 million drivers - told a Tesco Car Insurance study that when it comes to making our roads safer, there is no substitute for high-profile police patrols.

Speed Cameras

Despite the steady rise of speed cameras, 41 per cent of drivers say they do not think the devices make our roads safer, a three per cent rise over last year’s study. A further 35 per cent say they would like to see more regular police presence at known accident blackspots.

The third annual “Drivers’ Attitudes” study, conducted for Tesco Car Insurance, asked UK drivers their views on key areas of modern motoring, including teenage drivers, safety and policing, the impact of driving on the environment, and road user pricing versus public transport.

Allan Burns, head of Tesco Car Insurance, says: “Our findings reveal a sizeable majority of motorists feel unprotected on the roads, favouring tougher penalties for those breaking the law, and trapped between the increasing cost of motoring and lack of a viable alternative for their regular journeys.”

The study finds:

43 per cent would raise driving age to 18

Inexperienced teenage drivers are a cause of alarm, with the majority of drivers surveyed coming out in favour of raising the minimum driving age from 17 to 18 years. Interestingly, 38 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds in the study agreed with this proposal. Twenty two per cent of the drivers even think the age should be raised to 21.

33 per cent want life ban for drink or drug drivers

Driving while under the influence of drink or drugs is seen as the biggest threat to road safety. Twice as many drivers (39 per cent) cite this as the most dangerous habit as do for speeding (20 per cent), seen as the second biggest threat.

Public transport not a viable option for three out of four

There may be an environmental push to encourage drivers out of their cars on to public transport, but seventy two per cent said that the service in their local area is just not an option for making their most frequent trips—infrequent services and indirect routes being the most commonly cited reasons.

60 per cent reject road user pricing

When it comes to reducing overcrowding on Britain’s roads, sixty per cent do not think that road pricing is the right way. But a massive seventy five per cent would ditch their car in favour of public transport if their local network were better.

65 per cent of drivers believe the ban on using hand-held mobiles is a failure

Seventy per cent of drivers say there should be tougher penalties for driverscaught using them-underlining fears that the £30 fixed penalty is not a sufficient deterrent.

Three quarters have no idea how polluting their car is

The study found a mixed environmental message with 73 per cent of those polled having no idea what the carbon output of their car is—48 per cent say they care about the effect of their journey on the environment. Yet 73 per cent agreed that 4 x 4 vehicles are harmful to the environment and should be taxed more heavily than at present.

New laws on child safety seats

When it comes to following other new safety regulations, some drivers admit to having a lax approach. Fourteen per cent of men and ten per cent of women drivers reveal they do not follow the new rules about children’s booster seats which came into force on September 18.

Most resented aspects of driving

Finally, the study asked motorists what are the most resented aspects of driving. Traffic cones sealing off a lane when there is nobody at work comes top of the list (39 per cent), followed by having to pay duty on petrol (33 per cent). Utility companies digging up roads without reference to each others’ activities was next, at 23 per cent.

There was however a welcome message for beleaguered traffic wardens, who came bottom of the list of motorist’s frustrations (6 per cent).