More than half of UK drivers believe tailgating, speeding and hogging the middle lane on the motorway have become more frequent.

That’s according to a new poll conducted by the AA. The breakdown company says 55 percent of its 12,700 survey respondents think tailgating is on the rise. Previously, a third of drivers said they ignore the two-second rule when driving, the AA adds.

Some 53 percent also perceive that the number of drivers breaking the speed limit has increased, while 52 percent say there are more cases of middle-lane hogging.

In addition, just over half (51 percent) of the motorists surveyed by the AA said they have noticed an increase in drivers ‘undertaking’ on the inside.

AA wants to see more traffic police

The AA says one solution to these issues is to increase road traffic police numbers in order to ‘improve the standard of driving on UK roads’. It calls on the next government to make the necessary investment in police recruitment and training.

Having a more visible police presence on the roads ‘will act as a deterrent’ because ‘some feel they can get away with certain activities, such as using a hand-held mobile phone, because their chances of being caught are slim,’ the organisation says.

Tim Rankin, managing director of AA Accident Assist, added: “It is not a shock that tailgating comes top of the list of behaviours worsening on our roads. Indeed, we know that there is a strong chance that a rear-end collision can turn into a ‘concertina collision’ where numerous vehicles are damaged.

“As we head into summer, we encourage drivers to allow more space between themselves and other vehicles. Creating at least a two-second gap can help prevent crashes but could also reduce outbursts of road rage.”

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There was a four percent decline in the number of deaths recorded on UK roads last year compared with 2022. That’s according to the latest data published by the Department for Transport (DfT).

In 2023, 1,645 people were killed on Britain’s roads, while there were 132,063 casualties of all types: a decline of three percent compared with figures for 2022.

Shockingly, the government report also reveals that 75 percent of fatalities, and 61 percent of those hurt in road accidents, were male.

More miles, fewer fatalities

Comparing data from a decade ago, at first glance it appears the number of people killed on UK roads has changed little: a four percent decrease. However, vehicles travelled further in 2023 than in 2013. The DfT says that motorists travelled a total of 334 billion miles, up eight percent.

The biggest difference is the number of people slightly injured on British roads. This total was 102,420 in 2023 – a 32 percent decrease compared with 2013.

Compared with 2022 figures, the number of motorcyclists killed on UK roads fell by 12 percent – the largest decline across all road user categories – while car occupant fatalities declined by five percent. Pedal cyclist fatalities were also down seven percent, but pedestrian deaths rose by six percent.

‘A red flag to the government’

The RAC says the new DfT statistics should remind the next government about the importance of improving road safety.

“The larger proportion of pedestrian fatalities, which is now at its highest since before the pandemic, should be a red flag to the government, signifying just how dangerous our roads still are,” said Simon Williams, head of roads policy at the RAC.

“Any number of deaths on the road is too many, so we strongly encourage the new government not to take these figures lightly and to make road safety a priority. We continue to believe the government should reinstate road casualty reduction targets.”

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