Motorists in Derby are claiming that a new roundabout has caused ten accidents in 48 hours. They are blaming a lack of lighting and signage for the cluster of fender benders. But are such road issues just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Britain’s road network? Are you up to speed with all the dangers that the UK’s motorists face?
The roundabout on the A516 in Derby had only been open for two days when drivers revealed that it had caused multiple accidents because motorists were failing to see it in time. So bad was the situation that one motorist, David Wilson, not only crashed his car but witnessed another car drive over the roundabout while he waited to be rescued. Wilson told the Daily Mail,
“Fortunately, for whoever was driving, it was a Land Rover and they were able to get over the island without too many difficulties, but other people are going to crash there until something is sorted.”
What went wrong?
Thankfully, no one has been hurt in the accidents thus far. The roundabout was built to service a new housing estate development. It has subsequently been fiercely criticised by locals, who are demanding that the council install rumble strips. The council has investigated. It believes that the roundabout’s new lighting had stopped functioning and that the issue has now been resolved.
However, some could argue that the roundabout is a typical sign of Britain’s increasingly inferior road network. There are a host of issues that, at best, infuriate drivers and, at worst, can cause serious damage to cars and those in them.
Potholes driving motorists potty
As many a swearing driver will attest to, potholes are public enemy number one. According to recent research, there is one pothole per 110 metres of road in Britain. These cost motorists £684 million a year in car repairs, with a pothole compensation claim being made every 17 minutes. Successful claims cost the government £2.3 million in 2016.
To tackle the pothole plague, the government has set aside £250 million for its Pothole Action Fund. However, the funding is a drop in the ocean according to the Asphalt Industry Alliance, which claims that £12 billion is needed to sort out Britain’s potholes. A recent report by Car Parts 4 Less highlighted the 10 worst afflicted roads:
Cottage Lane, Ormskirk
Liverpool Road (A57), Salford
Chester Road, Poynton
Topsham Road, Exeter
Bingley Relief Road (A650), Bradford
Dunstable Road, Luton
Dividy Road, Stoke-on-Trent
Hills Road, Cambridge
Stratford Road, Solihull
Garrett Lane, Wandsworth
Skid-happy highways
An investigation by the Department for Transport revealed that 26% of our A roads require “further investigation” because they offer inadequate skid resistance. The findings are the highest since records began back in 2007/2008. Some 11,000 vehicles skidded on dry roads and led to accidents in 2015.
AA president Edmund King told the Express newspaper,
“It means that, if a law-abiding driver is travelling within the speed limit and a child steps out, what may have been an avoidable accident could become a tragedy.”
Road signs driving us to distraction
The onus is on drivers to keep abreast of the Highway Code. However, our mass of road signs and their meanings are leaving two in five motorists flummoxed. Driver confusion can lead to sudden braking that can cause congestion and accidents. While many of us may pride ourselves on our knowledge of the rules of the road, it’s worth taking this test to see just how clued up you really are about the UK’s road signs.
The issue is being exacerbated because our roads have been flooded with too many unnecessary road signs, claim some critics. In 1993, there were 2.45 million signs in England; by 2013, this had increased to a staggering 4.57 million. Many believe that such prolific use of signs can lead to confusion and sudden, risky driving manoeuvres.
To tackle the issue, the government gave powers to councils in 2016 to rip down unneeded signs, “ensuring road signs that are used far longer than needed have a ‘remove by’ date; making sure traffic signs are visible on unlit roads; stopping temporary message signs from being cluttered with adverts and distracting logos.” The government believes that the move could “save £30 million in taxpayers’ cash by 2020, leaving drivers with just the signs they need to travel safely.”
What needs to be done to sort out the dangers of the UK’s highways? Is the only solution more investment, and in the current economic climate, will that ever happen? Let us know your thoughts below.
Giving power to councils to remove road signs has led to nothing but damaged signage, signs covered by trees and algae and just a general neglect for signage. Their argument of “everybody uses a sat nav these days” doesn’t wash, there are many of us who still have a sense of direction and don’t rely on our sat navs to take us up closed roads, or in to flooded underpasses. There needs to be a movement formed to tackle the lack of road signs, as this directly contributes to people going round and round trying to get to where they want to go, and adds to pollution. I think alot of this is a legacy from 10 or so years ago, where the governments was trying to get people to stop using their cars. That didn’t work, and the thinking of neglecting roads signs forgot to be reversed along with this motion of people wont give up freedom of movement!
Another annoyance is the flood of temporary road signs ie diversions, “no road markings”, ice (during a heatwave) etc that are set up and then not removed for weeks or months afterwards despite the indicated issue being resolved. This leads to motorists ignoring the signs.
Signs on the side of the road to warn you of some upcoming event or problem that are too small to read while driving – note not read safely, but read at all.
Matrix signs that instead of giving useful information are telling you to Think Bike, or Take a Break or that the A234 is closed past Smith Lane (and you have no idea where the A234 or Smith Lane are) All there to distract you from the already hard enough task of driving.
Roads are not to blame for any accident anywhere if you drive according to the conditions No road no matter what the condition of it It is just the”drivers”that are to blame everytime How many drivers use the road with no trouble at all a few complain and call the road dangerous when all along it their terrible driving that is to blame Some roads are easier to drive on than others but non are dangerous if you drive with regards to the road conditions not drive as if every road is a motorway or dual carriageway as many do . Many “drivers” should not be allowed to drive at all Make every driver take a test every ten years and just see how many are then driving How many could even pass the theory test if ask to take it at short notice?? Could you?
Road signs where I live ( Leeds, West Yorkshire) are often invisible at this time of the year because of the trees and bushes hiding them. The highways authorities really need to trim them back so that the signs can be seen by motorists. And what does “new road layout ahead” mean? It tells us nothing, especially if we don’t know what the previous road layout was.
Another common cause of accidents is a, it seems to be, a bad habit of ignoring the use of indicators. Not knowing where cars are going or not is frustrating to say the least. Make it a crime not using them.
Common sense and the highway code say you should be able to stop in the distance you can see. Ergo,they are good ng too fast. Simply prosecute for due care and attention and speeds will come down.
Giving power to councils to remove road signs has led to nothing but damaged signage, signs covered by trees and algae and just a general neglect for signage. Their argument of “everybody uses a sat nav these days” doesn’t wash, there are many of us who still have a sense of direction and don’t rely on our sat navs to take us up closed roads, or in to flooded underpasses. There needs to be a movement formed to tackle the lack of road signs, as this directly contributes to people going round and round trying to get to where they want to go, and adds to pollution. I think alot of this is a legacy from 10 or so years ago, where the governments was trying to get people to stop using their cars. That didn’t work, and the thinking of neglecting roads signs forgot to be reversed along with this motion of people wont give up freedom of movement!
Another annoyance is the flood of temporary road signs ie diversions, “no road markings”, ice (during a heatwave) etc that are set up and then not removed for weeks or months afterwards despite the indicated issue being resolved. This leads to motorists ignoring the signs.
Signs on the side of the road to warn you of some upcoming event or problem that are too small to read while driving – note not read safely, but read at all.
Matrix signs that instead of giving useful information are telling you to Think Bike, or Take a Break or that the A234 is closed past Smith Lane (and you have no idea where the A234 or Smith Lane are) All there to distract you from the already hard enough task of driving.
Roads are not to blame for any accident anywhere if you drive according to the conditions No road no matter what the condition of it It is just the”drivers”that are to blame everytime How many drivers use the road with no trouble at all a few complain and call the road dangerous when all along it their terrible driving that is to blame Some roads are easier to drive on than others but non are dangerous if you drive with regards to the road conditions not drive as if every road is a motorway or dual carriageway as many do . Many “drivers” should not be allowed to drive at all Make every driver take a test every ten years and just see how many are then driving How many could even pass the theory test if ask to take it at short notice?? Could you?
Road signs where I live ( Leeds, West Yorkshire) are often invisible at this time of the year because of the trees and bushes hiding them. The highways authorities really need to trim them back so that the signs can be seen by motorists. And what does “new road layout ahead” mean? It tells us nothing, especially if we don’t know what the previous road layout was.
Another common cause of accidents is a, it seems to be, a bad habit of ignoring the use of indicators. Not knowing where cars are going or not is frustrating to say the least. Make it a crime not using them.
Common sense and the highway code say you should be able to stop in the distance you can see. Ergo,they are good ng too fast. Simply prosecute for due care and attention and speeds will come down.