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The Seven Deadly Sins of Motoring are causing havoc on UK roads which could be avoided by better behaviour behind the wheel, claims the RAC Foundation today.
In 2006, 94% of accidents were attributed to driver error or “injudicious action.”* 2007 has seen a similar catalogue of sinful motoring behaviour** and motorists are being encouraged to use the Christmas break to help cut road casualties by reflecting on their misdeeds and resolving to swap their dirty habits for angels’ halos.
The Seven Deadly Sins of Motoring identified by the RAC Foundation are:-
+ The need for speed. Speeding is the most common unsafe behaviour on UK roads and 71% of motorists are very worried about drivers lust for speed***. Tight Christmas schedules create time-pressured drivers. Realistic planning and time management is an essential ingredient for keeping this deadly sin at bay.
+ Rage against the machine. 61% of drivers are very concerned about incurring the wrath of aggressive drivers on the road*** and Christmas congestion acts a red rag to bullies guilty of this year-round sin. Deep breathing and soothing Christmas carols will provide some relief for those suffering from seasonal red mist.
+ Eyes bigger than the steering wheel. Britain’s gluttonous behaviour has moved from the dinner table to the steering wheel. Eating at the wheel is illegal if it distracts your attention from driving, and it doubles the risk of crashing.**** To maintain a healthy Christmas appetite and to avoid the need for a January crash diet leave the nibbling to one side when you are on the road.
+ Wanting it all – without stopping. Gadget-mania feeds this greedy “want it now – can’t wait” sinful driving style. Keeping up with friends and family is essential over the party season, but driving whilst using a mobile phone quadruples the chance of being involved in a serious accident***** and texting while driving provides the greatest of all in car distractions****** making mobile phone use in cars a truly deadly sin.
+ I’ll check the tyres – tomorrow: Slothful attitudes to basic car maintenance cause unnecessary breakdowns throughout the year, but can cause huge problems over the winter months. Worn tyres contribute to 10 per cent of all accidents in the wet, while the number of accidents caused by wet roads increases in winter by over 250 per cent. The porthole posse who refuse to fully demist and defrost their cars reduce their vision by up to 90% and risk serious injury to themselves and others, while winter driving without topping up the anti-freeze and the screenwash is inviting disaster.
+ Amber gamblers, belligerent bargers: Festive activity leaves road users jostling for space on crowded roads, bringing out the green eyed monster in those desperate to get through the traffic lights or get the last space in the car park. Envy can lead to an increase in red mist ragers so good planning is essential to keep high blood pressure at bay.
+ One for the road offenders: Pride in one’s drinking prowess and ‘life and soul of the party’ status makes for a deadly concoction when taken behind the wheel. Nearly one in six deaths on UK roads involve drivers over the legal alcohol limit****** and nearly half of young drivers admit to taking to the road early in the morning after a heavy nights drinking*******. This is a deadly sin that can’t be forgiven – even at Christmas.
The RAC Foundation urges all motorists to use the festive break to consider which Heavenly Virtues they will adopt in 2008.
“None of us is perfect behind the wheel,” said Sheila Rainger, acting director of the RAC Foundation, “but Christmas and the New Year offer the perfect opportunity to confess past failings and resolve to do better. A positive attitude and a healthy dose of the heavenly virtues of temperance, diligence, forgiveness and humility will go a long way towards making our roads safer in 2008.”
High petrol pump prices will do little to disuade the 18 million cars which are due to hit the road this festive season according to reports out today.
New research from the RAC suggests that 49% of Christmas drivers are intending to cut the number of journeys they make as the average litre of fuel is costing 10p more than it did a year ago. However, even though 58% of motorists are expected to drop one or more family trips over the next ten days planned engineering works on the railways is likely to create even more traffic on the roads.
The good news is that there are only 66miles of contraflow, lane restrictions and other bottlenecks will be effecting 10 motorways over the Christmas preiod as the Highways Agency have taken pro-active steps to reduce distruption on the roads at this busy time of year.
Fog and another freeze is also threatening to hamper the great christmas getaway starting this afternoon as zub-zero temperatures set to create difficult driving conditions.
The busiest time of year on the roads, is never an easy one for those travelling to visit family and friends, but good planning and a well stocked soundtrack for potentially difficult trips will go a long way in making difficult trips more bearable.
Source: The Guardian Friday 21st December 2007, The Times Friday 21st December 2007.
The alcohol content in after dinner treats at Christmas time can push you over the drink drive limit the car insurer Esure warns.
A poll conducted by ICM Research revealed that motorists just don’t think about the food they have eaten when considering whether not they should drive, but focus solely on how many glasses they have head.
Alcohol units per serving of the following Christmas treats are;
-
Christmas pudding – 0.7 units
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Brandy butter – 0.3 units
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Sherry Trifle – 0.7 units
The drink drive limit equates to approximately 4 units of alcohol for men and 4 units for women, but as it is never possible to calculate the impact drinks have on your blood alcohol content the best advice is to never drink and drive.
With the above in mind, the average Christmas dinner with a small glass of wine could mean you are at the alcohol limit already. So if in doubt leave the car keys at home and enjoy festivities without getting behind the wheel.
Source: Daily Mail 6th December 2007
Motorists in Lithuania are nine times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision their counterparts in Malta according to new research out from Forbes.com.
Their research identified central Europe as a collision hotspot, with drink driving being a particular problem. European Commission data released earlier this year found that 23.5% in Estonia were caused by those driving over the limit. For latvia the figure was 21.7% and Lithuania 14.8%
The worst countries for raod fatalities (Number of road fatalities per million inhabitants) were;
- Lithuania (223)
- Latvia (177.4)
- Estonia (151.7)
- Greece (148.8)
- Poland (137.4)
- Slovenia (131.3)
- Hungary (129.3)
- Cyprus (112.2)
- Czech Republic (103.7)
- Iceland (103.4)
The best European countries for safety (Number of road fatalities per million inhabitants);
- Malta (24.7)
- Netherlands (44.5)
- Sweden (49.2)
- Switzerland (49.6)
- Norway (52.4)
- UK (52.5)
- Denmark (56.4)
- Germany (61.8)
- Finland (64)
- France (74.7)
These findings illustrate how diverse Europe’s road safety record is and that Eastern Europe has a long way to go to match-up to the road safety standards of the West. These results also have important implications for Brits when driving abroad and when sharing UK roads with foreign drivers.
Motorists could double their risk of a winter accident simply by driving home for Christmas, warns the RAC Foundation today. The Foundation’s analysis of official road safety figures shows that the risk of injury to road users is not equal throughout the UK, making it vital for motorists to prepare properly before heading off to visit friends and family.
The RAC Foundation’s analysis of DfT safety statistics for English regions and local authorities* shows that road users in London are twice as likely to be involved in a serious accident than those in the South West or South East, while Worcestershire is the safest county for motoring.
The festive period is traditionally the most stressful time in the motoring calendar, with motorists trying to juggle the demands of winter weather, holiday congestion, and family tensions while carrying out long-distance driving between extended families, in-laws and friends. Dealing with unknown routes and an unfamiliar environment, whether urban conditions or rural roads, can leave little spare attention for safety checks, which can lead to catastrophe. Christmas risk factors include:-
- Bad weather. Ice, snow, rain and wind all bring extra difficulties to driving while low winter sun can also be hazardous.
- Darker nights and mornings. Collisions and accidents peak during the dark winter months when the hours of gloom are longer.
- Stress and fatigue. Drivers are often exhausted by the planning and preparation they have put into organising the Festive celebrations or get distracted by the tasks they have to undertake.
- Drink drivers. Even if they have wisely abstained from alcohol there may be other drivers on the road who haven’t.
- Tension. Christmas is widely recognised by psychologists as being the most stressful time of the year. Family or work friction can lead drivers to make basic errors, take chances, miss hazards or speed.
The RAC Foundation has determined that the regions with the highest road safety risk* in 2006 were London; Yorkshire and Humber; and the North-West. Motorists in these regions faced a significantly higher risk of accident than road users in the South-East; the South-West and the West Midlands, the three safest regions, though Greater London has made great progress and cut local casualty rates by 44%.
The safest local authorities in 2006 were*;
1. Worcestershire
2. Hertfordshire
3. Warwickshire
4. Hampshire
5. Devon
The areas with the highest rate of killed and seriously injured road users for 2006 were*;
1. Greater London
2. East Sussex
3. Isle of Wight
4. Lancashire
5. North Yorkshire
Sheila Rainger, Head of Campaigns says, “Christmas is traditionally a time to visit friends and family, but motorists must expect the unexpected and be aware that not all parts of the UK are equal when it comes to road safety.
“Unfamiliar surroundings, wintry conditions and overdoses of Christmas indulgence can make for a hazardous and stressful journey. Many motorists will be tired after the pre-holiday rush at work, and driving with too many things on their mind, leading to increased speeds, inattention and poor hazard perception.
“Motorists can protect themselves by planning ahead. Forewarned is forearmed when it comes to route planning and road conditions, and leaving extra time for journeys in order to allow for the unexpected is even more vital at this time of year.
“It goes without saying that, even at Christmas, no-one should be tempted to drink and drive. It is better not to drink at all if you know you will be driving than to take a chance on calculating your units.
“Drivers should be particularly vigilant about their driving style and remember that even if they themselves are good, focused drivers other road users may be struggling.”
* Figures in release taken from DfT Road Casualties English Local Authority Tables: 2006 http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/accidents/casualtieslatables/roadcasualtieslocal06 released December 2007
Fewer people in the UK are turning to motorcycling according to new statistics released by the DfT today. The report finds that;
- Fewer than 3% of households own a motorcycle
- The number of people taking a motorbike fell to the lowest level since 2001/02
- The motorcycle ownership rate in Great Britain is lower than any other European country
Despite the decline in motorbike ownership, devoted motorbike users are keeping their machines in good working order. 946,000 motorcycles went through an MOT test in 2006/07, a large increase in comparison to previous years mainly due to the increasing number of mopeds and scooters being tested. 83% of motorcycles now pass the MOT test, with faulty lights remaining the most common cause of MOT failure.
Motorcycle safety remains a cause for concern as the relative risk of a motorcycle riser being killed or seriously injured per kilometre travelled was 51 times higher in 2006 than for car drivers. This risk may have lead to the reduction in people willing to taking up motorcycling, but despite these safety concerns it is important to remember that careful motorbike use can provide a useful congestion busting, environmentally friendly alternative to the car.
After reading through the papers today, two very choice articles and links are worth mentioning…
- ‘Council house OAPs will be bribed to move out to the country’ (Daily Mail 13.12.07)
Pensioners will be encouraged to give up council houses in cities and move to the country in order that their homes can be given to families to ease overcrowding, in a proposal from ministers yesterday.
- ‘ Food deserts depriving towns of fruit and vegetables…it is particularly problematic for residents without cars’ (The Independent 13.12.07)
The demise of greengrocers has turned large areas of the country into ‘food deserts’ according to a new report from Harper Adams University College, in Shropshire. the report found that aruond 20% of rural areas and 25% of urban areas were ‘food deserts’ where people have to walk more than 500 metres to reach a shop selling a good amount of fruit and vegetables.
The conclusion…moving older people out into the countryside, where they will find it difficult to access basic services might not be such a good idea after all!
The RAC Foundation is disappointed to learn that plans to tunnel the A303 at Stonehenge have been indefinitely shelved by the Government today on grounds of cost. The Government has admitted that the tunnel is the only viable environmental option for the World Heritage site, but have still decided to go back to square one and to consult on smaller scale schemes, which are unlikely to provide the same level of environmental, congestion and mobility improvement as the tunnel option.
The RAC Foundation, which has campaigned tirelessly on the road problems at Stonehenge, recently warned politicians that the nation’s current road network is not fit to deal with future population and car ownership growth. The report ‘Roads and Reality’ specifically identified the A303 as a weak link in the nation’s road network, making today’s news all the more unacceptable. The small-scale alternative schemes suggested by the Government for the A344 and the A303/A358 are likely to have some impact, but much more radical action is needed.
David Holmes, Chairman of the RAC Foundation said, ‘ A price should not be put on our heritage in this way. We are extremely disappointed that the Government has condemned Stonehenge to further environmental damage and the A303 to chronic congestion due to their failure to act. Our report, ‘Roads and Reality’ clearly states that the problem of congestion will not go away. Years of misery lie ahead’.
The Department for Transport, this summer, published a report on the travel aspirations, needs and behaviour of 16- 25 year olds which highlighted how young people in Britain get from A to B and their feelings on the transport choices available to them.
The main findings:
- Triggers on the road to adulthood, such as moving to university or starting a new job, lead to changes in travel and transport use.
- Overall, young people did not have a clear picture about how much they spent on travel.
- Both advantages (e.g independence) and disadvantages (e.g. responsibilty), of car travel were flagged up.
- Almost half (48%) of 17-25 year olds hold a driving license and cars are used for the majority of this age group’s trips.
- When choosing a car, practical, social and cultural considerations were taken into account.
- There were varied feelings about having to rely on other people for lifts ( especially where local transport provision was poor). This depended on the age of the young person, whether the driver was a family member or not, and whether the designated driver was happy to provide a lift. The main restriction of this travel option was not being able to plan last minute trips or stay out till the early hours.
- Limited public transport was met with feelings of a lack of control on personal travel. Also on a concerning note, lack of public transport after school hours meant that students often found it difficult to take part in after school activities.
- Recommendations for transport included: a need to reduce its environmental impact; increase social inclusion; improve the general quality and extent of local provision; enforce rules regarding payment of fares, road tax and insurance; and extend concessions.
- A lack of consideration for the impact of transport on the environment and health was seen as a local concern and an issue for collective reponsibility.
- Both push and pull mechanisms are involved in young people taking up driving lessons, whilst barriers to their uptake, namely cost, also exist.
- Some respondents said their travel choices reflected the travel behaviour of their older family members e.g. one girl said that she has always travelled by bus because her Mum had always done and she assumed this was the only viable option.
- There appeared to be different levels of tolerance regarding different public transport modes. People were more understanding about delays with trains than they were with buses, believing train delays to be unpreventable but bus delays to be down to staff error.
- There was a clear variation in local knowledge of public transport e.g. bus routes.
- Different transport modes were linked to different identities.
- Mood, time, money, weather, activities planned for the day and whether individuals were travelling alone or in a group, were all factors which led to people temporarily changing the mode used.
- Where criteria for choosing a college or university were equal, ease or cost of travel can be the deciding factor, often choosing students to opt for the institution closer to home.
- Some people’s transport choices were automatic, with one clear choice standing out; others were more considered- trialling different modes and weighing up the pros and cons of each; others were interdependent i.e. only one transport mode might be appropriate; whilst some, quite interestingly were, well- quite easy! as the preferred transport mode was what determined the choice of destination and not the other way around.
The RAC Foundation supports the DfT in their recommendation that young people’s views on transport must be listened to so that suitable improvements to provision can be made to meet their needs:
“Transport is both an enabler and a barrier to young peole’s access to employment, education and leisure” (DfT)
In addition, the DfT emphasise that if young people are educated about the environmental impacts of various transport modes then they will be able to make a better informed choice as to how they will travel.
Chocolate fuel
December 24, 2007 in Comment | by fionacoyne | Leave a comment
Whilst chocolate may prove to be a menace for our waistlines this Christmas, our mouthwatering companion could be the saviour the environment has been searching for…
Biodiesel can be made using chocolate! It’s true! But unfortunately the extra ingredients required mean that is not suitable for drinking at the pump. Sorry.
Source: The Independent 6th December 2007