Careless Driving
Often referred to as driving without due care and attention. The latest studies into the habits of UK motorists show that nearly two in five drive without due care and attention, with Leeds having the worst road user, according to a recent survey. Please visit the AA website for further information on careless driving and the law!
Previously independent researchers for insurance company Direct Line have been checking the driver behaviour of 11,000 motorists in 10 UK cities. Astonishingly they found that an incredibly high 37% drove carelessly! Failing to indicate was the most common offence, followed by failing to stop at a pedestrian crossing.
A total of 5% of motorists regularly flouted the mobile phone rules (this figure is potentially going up), with Birmingham drivers the worst culprits. After Leeds, the motorists driving the most carelessly were those from Manchester, followed by Bristol, London and Birmingham. The most considerate drivers were found in Norwich.
A Direct Line motor insurance spokesperson said “We conducted the research to find out how many drivers are flouting the law and our findings are shocking. Careless driving is a major cause of accidents, and aside from the increased risk of causing a crash, a careless driving offence carries severe penalties. So we are reminding motorists to take care, keep their full concentration on their driving and brush up on the rules as detailed in the Highway Code”.
As drivers we are all responsible for ensuring we drive sensibly and keep abreast of changes in the law and driving. For example, note now that the police have been given powers of on-the-spot penalties for careless driving including tailgating and poor lane discipline.
These driver changes giving the police powers to issue fixed penalty notices for careless or inconsiderate driving came into effect during the month of August 2013. If you are often putting the lives of other motorists at risk on the motorway by committing these type of offences then you can expect the law to come down on you much harder than in previous years.
Useful Resources Website Address (copy and paste into your browser bar): www.driving-law.co.uk/offences/careless_driving.asp.