Failing to look properly main cause of road accidents
Monday 27 September 2010 Back to Blog
The best way for van contract hire drivers to avoid road accidents could be to make sure they are fully aware of their surroundings.
According to figures from the Department for Transport, failure by a driver or motorcyclist to look properly was cited as a factor in 38 per cent of accidents reported to the police, far higher than other more common concerns such as speeding.
In addition, pedestrians failing to look properly contributed to 58 per cent of accidents.
Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: "Failing to look properly is not just a benign bad habit - the latest figures show that it is involved in many thousands of accidents on our roads.
"However, it is a bad habit that can be overcome. We encourage all drivers and riders to look beyond their learner tests and to take refresher training throughout their lives."
In total, 2,222 people were killed on Britain's roads in 2009, 24,690 were seriously injured and 195,234 were slightly injured.