It takes something special for the average law abiding motorist in the UK to risk his licence and an inflated motor insurance claim due to frustration, but according to a survey carried out for a leading car insurance comparison site that is exactly what many of us do when confronted by a s-l-o-w driver.
Slow drivers the most unpopular
Apparently, almost all of us have at some time risked a collision in a desperate attempt to overtake a slow driver at an injudicious time. Further statistics show that 1 in 3 drivers has actually had an accident or had a close call when carrying out the same manoeuvre. Incredibly it was slow drivers and not tailgaters, speeders, or middle lane hoggers who came top of the poll for the most unpopular drivers.
No shortage of ideas
The survey also showed that the average UK motorist was not short of suggestions for coping with the snail like drivers. The most popular solution was the installation of slow speed cameras on major highways. Half of those questioned said this would not only pinpoint the drivers who were going slow but also give authorities the opportunity to fine them for causing a hazard to other road users. Almost 1 in 3 proposed the hard shoulder should be converted into a very slow lane while 1 in 20 suggested those that drive slowly should display the fact on their car.
Statistics suggest drivers are wrong
Leading motoring organisations expressed sympathy with motorists frustrated by the slow drivers but advocated patience at all times as the opportunity to pass safely would eventually materialise. The survey is not really borne out with facts. According to figures from the Department of Transport slow driving was the cause of fewer than 150 accidents each year.
The figure is a small fraction of the number of accidents caused by speeding drivers and infinitesimal compared to the overall number of accidents on the roads of the UK. However, it does illustrate how easily a motorist can become distracted and anxious when he is faced with an unusual situation. Carry on and keep calm is a saying we see almost every day now, it is a perfect antidote for the frustrations of following a slow driver.