Driver behaviour 'boosting road safety'

Date: 8/8/2011

A "dramatic" improvement in road safety has been witnessed as motorists demonstrate good behaviour while behind the wheel.

Such is the finding of the Sainsbury's Car Insurance Driver Behaviour Index for 2011, which reveals that the proportion of people using their mobile phone while in control of a vehicle has fallen from 11 per cent to six per cent in the last 12 months.

Meanwhile, the proportion of Britons using their handset to send a text message while driving has slipped from six per cent to four per cent in the same period.

Furthermore, ten per cent fewer respondents admitted to getting behind the wheel while tired than last year - a fall from 28 per cent in 2010.

Using a car when sleepy is the cause behind 20 per cent of crashes to occur on major roads, according to government figures.

Indeed, the Think! campaign points out that a fatigue-related collision is more likely to result in a fatality or serious injury than other accidents.

However, there were some areas where an improvement in driver behaviour could still be necessary, with 19 per cent of motorists revealing incidents of excessive speeding in the last year, compared to 16 per cent in 2010.

Ben Tyte, Head of Sainsbury's Car Insurance, said: "It is fantastic to see that driver behaviour on our roads is improving. Campaigns such as the government's hard-hitting Think! activity has had a real impact on driver behaviour."

Posted by Sarah Bailey