Many drivers 'confused by basic road signs'

Date: 3/1/2012

A new survey has revealed many motorists are unaware of what basic road signs mean.

Conducted by motor oil company Castrol, the study discovered two-thirds of drivers get confused by some road signs.

Furthermore, three per cent of respondents claimed their lack of knowledge has led them to have an accident - around 1.3 million incidents.

Since taking their driving theory test, over half of individuals have not looked at the Highway Code and the same number could not identify a 'give way' sign when shown the image.

Motoring expert and former Top Gear presenter Quentin Willson described the results of the study as "worrying."

"There's only a few pages of road signs in the Highway Code. It's not War And Peace and reading five pages could one day save your life," he added.

At the end of last month, the government announced councils no longer have to seek approval from Whitehall if they wish to introduce certain new road signs in their local area.

Posted by Sarah Bailey