With Storm Ciara battering the UK over the past week and Storm Dennis on the way, new research reveals British drivers’ lack of confidence in difficult weather conditions.
The study by Young Driver found one in five UK drivers said they’d had no experience of driving in bad weather when they passed their driving test.
Another fifth admitted they don’t like driving in the rain. And 46 percent said they felt unprepared to deal with ice or snow on the road.
A bit of experience helps. The most confident drivers in bad weather were aged between 25 and 34. Regardless, those in this age group also had their concerns.
Eighteen percent said they worried about driving in the rain, and 28 percent in frost. The youngest drivers, aged 18-24, were most worried about driving in the rain.
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“Obviously when conditions are as bad as we have seen in the last week, the advice is not to travel unless absolutely necessary,” said Sue Waterfield, head of marketing at Young Driver.
“But living in the UK we often have rain or frost over the winter months and motorists do need to be confident that they know how to handle their vehicle if they’re driving in those situations.”
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“Unfortunately, it seems many feel they were unprepared during their learning journey, with one in five new drivers never having experienced driving in any kind of difficult weather.”
Storm Dennis is expected to bring more than a month’s worth of rainfall to some parts of the UK. Expected to hit the UK today, Dennis will continue its assault over the course of the weekend.