UK survey — Tailgating most serious driving offense

(March 29, 2011) A survey carried out by breakdown and road safety organization GEM Motoring Assist today revealed that UK motorists believe tailgating is the most serious offense committed on a highway with 85% saying it causes highly dangerous situations.

Driving whilst using your mobile phone came in a close second with 66% agreeing it would put lives at serious risk and nearly two thirds believe that driving in the middle lane when the left hand lane is empty is dangerous and should be more strictly enforced.

Interestingly only 20% of those surveyed said that speeding should be more closely monitored and over half of drivers surveyed went as far as to say that the national speed limit should actually be increased.  This is not the result GEM wanted to hear, as it, and other road safety organizations are strongly against the government campaign to raise the motorway speed limit to 80 MPH by this summer.

Learners are a sticking point for experienced motorists as over half of those surveyed would never want learning drivers to be allowed to practice on highways before their test, with 83% saying there should be a mandatory follow up test created to test motorway driving skills.

Top 10 Highway Dangers

1. Tailgating
2. Driving whilst using a mobile phone
3. Driving in the middle lane when the left hand lane is empty
4. Changing lanes without adequate observations or signals
5. Driving on the hard shoulder to avoid traffic
6. Entering a motorway from a slip road without adequate observations or signals
7. Driving too slowly
8. Speeding
9. Use of the outside lane by LGV’s
10. Stopping on the hard shoulder when there is no emergency

The GEM poll also revealed that alarmingly nearly 70% of those taking to the highway don’t take extra precautions before making their journey, such as checking tire pressure and water and despite the problems that can arise from breaking down on the roadway, 83% of drivers do not feel more vulnerable.

The survey also showed that 73% of motorists would like to see more approved rest areas on highways.