UK drivers are baffled by basic rules of the road, according to new research by Aviva insurance. When quizzed on a selection of Highway Code basics, the insurer found that only one driver in 10 knew the correct meaning of double yellow lines at the side of a road, while a range of road signs caused similar confusion. ‘Pedestrians in the road ahead’ and ‘no buses’ were the most commonly confused signs, with only 45% of drivers recognising them when faced with multiple choice answers. ‘No motor vehicles’ and ‘no stopping’ caused headaches for four out of 10 respondents, being correctly named by just 59% and 62% motorists respectively.
- A Third Of Drivers Don’t Know UK National Speed Limits
- Nine Out Of 10 Don’t Know The Meaning of Double Yellow Lines
- A Third Of Drivers Can’t Identify ‘One Way Traffic’ Sign
- Yet Four Out Of Five Motorists Class Themselves As ‘Safe Drivers’
Out of more than 1,500 UK drivers questioned, people answered eight questions out of fifteen correctly on average, and only TWO motorists scored full marks.
The study also showed that only two thirds (66%) of drivers were able to correctly identify 60 miles per hour as the UK national speed limit on single carriage ‘A’ roads, and one motorist in 10 didn’t know that 70 miles per hour is the limit on motorways and dual carriageways.
This is in spite of the fact that four out of five motorists class themselves as ‘safe drivers’ and the same number say they do their best to follow the rules of the road*.
Other startling findings include:
- One driver in five (20%) didn’t recognise the sign meaning ‘national speed limit applies’.
- A third (35%) couldn’t correctly identify the ‘one way traffic’ sign.
- A quarter (25%) didn’t know the meaning of the sign meaning ‘no through road’, with 22% of drivers believing the sign indicated a ‘T’ junction.
- Only three out of 10 motorists (30%) knew the stopping distance at 30 mph.
The research was undertaken as part of Aviva’s awareness campaign around road safety, to encourage people to think about their driving habits. Motorists have been urged to download the Aviva Drive app to test how safely they drive, based on cornering, braking and accelerating.
Consumers have also been invited to take part in an online Aviva quiz to test their knowledge about road safety. In line with the Highway Code study, so far only 8% of people have got 10 out of 10 in the quiz. More than 40,000 people have taken the quiz, getting an average score of 8 out of 10 - www.avivadrivesafer.co.uk/quiz
Adam Beckett, propositions director for Aviva says: “Most of us think of ourselves as safe drivers and we genuinely try to follow the rules of the road, but as our study shows, we might not always know what these rules are!
“The good news is there are lots of ways we can try to improve our road safety, whether it's reacquainting ourselves with the Highway Code or downloading the Aviva Drive app so we can test just how safely we drive. By identifying where we can improve and taking a few simple steps to make these changes, we can all try to help make UK roads safer for everyone.”
To find out more about Aviva and the safe driving challenge visit www.aviva.co.uk/good-thinking
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If you are a journalist and would like further information, please contact: Aviva Press Office : Sarah Poulter : landline 01904 452828 : 07800 691569 : sarah.poulter@aviva.co.uk
Notes to editors:
Research was carried out by ICM research between 22 and 24 January 2016, interviewing 1,552 drivers across the UK.
* Additional research conducted online by YouGov on behalf of Aviva in conjunction with The Telegraph between the 7th and 9th December 2015. The total sample size was 1,094 UK drivers.
About Aviva:
- Aviva provides life insurance, general insurance, health insurance and asset management to 34 (a) million customers, across 16 markets worldwide
- In the UK we are the leading insurer serving one in every four households and have strong businesses in selected markets in Europe, Asia and Canada. Our shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and we are a member of the FTSE100 index.
- Aviva’s asset management business, Aviva Investors, provides asset management services to both Aviva and external clients, and currently manages over £245 billion in assets.
- Aviva helps people save for the future and manage the risks of everyday life; we paid out £24.6 billion in benefits and claims in 2014.
- By serving our customers well, we are building a business which is strong and sustainable, which our people are proud to work for, and which makes a positive contribution to society.
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(a) Before the deduction of overlapping customers.