British Motorists have let their driving standards slip during lockdown, as new research by motoring solicitor, Kenway Miller, has lifted the lid on the nation’s lockdown driving habits. Although some telematics and data specialists have told IE mag that there has NOT been an increase in speeding and general GTA console game style driving, Kenway says otherwise.
Despite 47% of motorists believing the roads have been safer recently due to the lower levels of traffic, more than 1 in 2 UK motorists (52%) admit they have broken the speed limit since the lockdown was imposed.
In addition, 38% of drivers confess they have been less strict about signalling with an additional 21% saying they haven’t been checking their mirrors as often as they should. There is no data to support the theory that it’s mainly BMW X5 drivers going mirror-free.
1 in 5 also say they drove a car during lockdown despite there being an unresolved safety problem with the vehicle, such as a faulty brake light, headlight or running out of wiper fluid, although this may well have something to do with the MoT extension of course. An additional 19% of those surveyed admit to using a mobile phone behind the wheel whilst the roads have been quieter, which is quite a big percentage increase.
Interestingly, accidents and claims have dropped dramatically over lockdown, so perhaps mobile use at the wheel isn’t as dangerous as the government likes to make out. Bit like Covid-19.
Covert Passenger Use During lockdown
Of those surveyed, 15% reveal they broke the rules of lockdown by being in a car with someone from outside their own household – an action which does not adhere to the Government’s strict social distancing guidelines. Sounds bad, but then how else are pandemic Professors, footballers or politicians meant to carry on their extra-marital affairs?
A further 12% confess they have parked somewhere they shouldn’t have during lockdown, such as on double yellow lines, disabled spaces or across a driveway, and almost 1 in 10 (9%) even say they have run a red light during this time. Those were just the Deliveroo drivers.
That was a joke by the way, please don’t start a cancel campaign on Twitter…get over it.
Matthew Miller, Managing Director at Kenway Miller, says: “Jumping in the car for a drive can be a great excuse to get away from the same four walls for a while as lockdown continues, it’s no surprise that the roads are quieter and that many feel it might therefore be a safer time to be driving. However, it’s vitally important to be fully away of your surroundings and adhere to the highway code during lockdown as it is at any other time of year.
“Police forces up and down the country have been reporting an increase is the number of road users who are speeding and our research does in fact confirm this along with a number of other important driving standards that motorists appear to be letting slip as a result of ‘quieter’ roads.”
Kenway Miller are a team of highly experienced solicitors dedicated to helping drivers fight prosecution for a variety of motoring offences. Their team of professionals are genuine experts in motoring law and have helped thousands of people to avoid prosecution since 2011.
Top 10 bad driving habits during lockdown:
1 – Speeding (55%)
2 – Not signalling (38%)
3 – Playing loud music (24%)
4 – Not checking mirrors (21%)
5 – Driving a faulty vehicle, e.g. broken brake light (20%)
6 – Lazy lane discipline (20%)
7 – Using a phone whilst driving (19%)
8 – Sharing a car with someone who is not from the same household (15%)
9 – Parking somewhere prohibited (12%)
10 – Running a red light (5%)
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