Better Driving: "Respect on the Road"
Chapter 5: Who Should We Try to Influence?
5.1 There are some groups which casualty statistics suggest should be targeted. These include:
Young drivers:[11]
- In 2005, almost 1200 young drivers were killed or seriously injured on UK roads - more than three every day;
- 17 - 20 year-old male drivers are almost ten times more likely to be killed or seriously injured than more experienced drivers;
- almost one in four passengers who has been seriously injured was travelling with a young driver at the time;
- 17 - 20 year-old male drivers are almost five times more likely to be involved in a road traffic accident involving a casualty than 30 - 59 year-old males; and
- the presence of friends in their car can both distract young drivers and encourage them to drive in a more risky way.
At-work drivers:[12]
- it is estimated that there are about 1000 deaths on UK roads each year involving people who were at work at the time, with a further 13000 seriously injured. In other words, between one-quarter and one-third of all road accidents involve someone who was working;
- employees who drive more than 25000 miles a year have at least a one in 8000 chance of dying behind the wheel of their company vehicle - a risk similar to that of miners dying at the coal face; and
- 65% of all company vehicles typically will be involved in an incident during a year.
Motorcyclists:[13]
- although motorcycles only account for 1% of road mileage, riders accounted for 20% of fatalities in 2003;
- motorcyclists are 40 times more likely to be killed than car drivers and 5 times more likely to be killed than cyclists.
5.2 As people get older, their driving skills can become impaired and older drivers have more accidents per mile driven than middle-aged drivers. However, older drivers are often aware of their increased vulnerability on the road and are likely to change their driving behaviour accordingly eg they avoid the riskiest driving situations by driving slower, avoiding busy junctions and restricting their driving to daylight hours.
5.3 These facts suggest that any effort to change behaviour should be targeted at young men and women, at-work drivers and motorcyclists. However, some of these groups, particularly young men and women, are less likely to be influenced by statements from authority, and great subtlety and ingenuity is required.
5.4 We should also try to improve the behaviour of people not in these categories - ordinary people who on the whole are not reckless with their lives or the lives of others, and do not set out to flout the law. Such people do thoughtless things and behave aggressively and dangerously at times. And everyday experience suggests that bad and inconsiderate behaviour can provoke an aggressive reaction in others. Conversely, considerate behaviour on the road can be infectious: if someone lets us out of a road end when they need not do so, we may be more likely to behave considerately further down the road. And most people are subject to influence from some quarter - whether it be from parents, peers, girl- and boy-friends, teachers, spiritual leaders and characters in films or soap operas. The messages for different groups will vary; and for some it may have to be harsh. But no group should be neglected. The challenge is to find out what works with what group.
11: Young Drivers: Reducing Death On The Roads September 2006.
12: Improving Work-Related Road Safety: A study led by the Motorists' Forum May 2005.
13: Road Safety and Speed Management: A study led by the Motorists' Forum August 2005.