Advertisement
The temporary car insurance experts at Tempcover surveyed 2,000 UK car owners to uncover how often indicators are neglected, in which scenarios, and how many drivers have been involved in an accident due to incorrect indicating.
Key findings include[1]:
- More than half of UK drivers say they’ve noticed others failing to indicate when changing lanes (53%) or at roundabouts (52%) – making them the two most common instances where signalling is overlooked. Meanwhile, 37% have seen drivers skip indicating at junctions and 29% when overtaking.
- Over a third of UK drivers (36%) have witnessed an accident or near-miss due to a driver failing to signal, and almost one in five (18%) have been directly involved in one.
- Almost two-thirds of UK drivers (63%) have had to brake suddenly because another driver failed to indicate.
- Drivers are incorrectly signalling at roundabouts, with 13% wrongly indicating left when going straight ahead[2] and 9% waiting until they reach their exit to signal. Meanwhile, 65% follow the correct approach by indicating left after passing the exit before their own[3].
- Almost a third (31%) of drivers say they’ve noticed that other drivers’ indicator use has worsened over the past year, while only 8% feel signalling habits have improved.
If you’re unsure about the correct use of indicators or find yourself forgetting to signal, brushing up on the rules can make a big difference. Proper signalling not only keeps traffic flowing smoothly but also helps prevent accidents and near-misses, making the roads safer for everyone.
You can find the full results of the survey here.
I think the problem is worse than we think. I am a qualified driving instructor and an advanced driver trained to drive emergency vehicles. I can guarantee that if you stand on the side of a road junction such as a roundabout, 9 out of 10 drivers will give a wrong signal or not signal at all. This is so annoying and frustrating, not to mention how dangerous this practice is. They really do need to either brush up on the highway code at least, or better still, get advice and training from a driving instructor.
It makes me laugh when I see posts about a specific car brand drivers failing to indicate, usually BMW that get the blame. If those people opened their eyes more, they’d see it’s pretty much across the board. I’ve also witnessed drivers indicating way too early on roundabouts which could quite easily lead to an accident.
Most of the new cars purchased in Essex have had the indicators removed from the specification; or, perhaps, that is just the impression which I have!!!
I have witnessed many near misses due to omitted signal followed by incorrect or no use of their mirrors. As an examiner it is a common fault of test candidates.
I have noticed a marked decline in drivers signalling. I cannot understand why because it’s the easiest action a driver can carry out, the indicator lever/switch is the closest thing to a drivers hand, just a matter of inches, but they find it easier to change the radio, smoke a cigarette, eat a sandwich, look away at your passenger whilst talking, and not being sexist at all but women especially seem to think it’s ok to look in the mirror to rearrange their hair or make-up. It only takes a second to miss a hazard ahead of you !!
Not through negligence but arrogance, selfish people who have no regard for others.
I agree with Grumpole but wonder who needed a survey to establish this. Sit at any roundabout for a while and the majority of drivers will be guilty of ignoring Highway Code rules. As a passenger in a car driven by an ex Traffic Police officer and driving instructor my wife is always advising me to worry about my blood pressure and not about other people’s driving.
The non use of indicators has been appalling for many years. The instance that really bugs me is when as a pedestrian I am waiting for an oncoming car to pass and then they turn into a junction without using the indicators just before where I am standing!
I was starting to think indicators had become an optional extra on cars!
for me this is the most annoying and dangerous problem on the roads – it effects pedestrians as well. Avoided a number of accidents over the years because people did ot indicate. Weekly crossing by a busy roundabout on foot and thinking no indicting mean they r going straight on and then they turn left nearly hitting me. Is it an offence not to indicate?
I thought I was the only one noticing the constant lack of indication whilst driving.
It is a constant game of guess where I’m going.Does anyone have a logical explanation
as to why this is happening,or am I just getting old and cynical.