Drivers have new biggest complaint about UK roads with potholes 'overtaken'
Drivers face a new biggest complaint about UK roads with potholes overtaken. Road safety is in the spotlight after study highlights declining skid resistance on UK roads and official data also reveals the number of reported collisions when the road environment was a contributory factor.
Motorists can learn how to control a skid, advises a leading driving experience provider. Dan Jones, Operations Manager at the vehicle track day company DrivingExperience.com, warned skid resistance is becoming as big a problem for motorists as potholes. He explained: "This new data raises serious concerns about road safety, particularly in wet or icy conditions, with weather changes often cited as a contributing factor.
"While we recognise the challenges posed by Government finances, we urge decision-makers to prioritise road safety, regardless of the factors affecting road conditions." He added: "It’s essential for all motorists to know how to regain control in a skid situation.
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"At DrivingExperience.com, we offer skid pan experiences, providing a safe environment for drivers to build confidence on low-grip surfaces." The research was carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), and here at DrivingExperience.com, we are leading the call for action to be taken in light of this.
In its report, the TRL states how 2023 saw a "low skid resistance" when considering all of the years in the analysis, which stretches way back to 2002. Meanwhile, other data obtained by DrivingExperience.com from the Department for Transport (DfT) shows that there were 572 reported road collisions in 2023, when a poor or defective road surface was a contributory factor, the highest since 2016.
Additional recent DfT data reveals there were 4,458 reported collisions in 2023 on a slippery road (due to weather), plus 655 reported collisions due to a deposit on the road, such as oil, mud, chippings. Typically, skid pan experiences with an experienced instructor include being shown steering and pedal control to help prevent skid slide, plus learning about oversteer, understeer, emergency braking and 180° recovery.