• 28 per cent of motorists have been involved in a collision because they weren’t looking at the road or did not check their blind spot
• Motorists have also been involved in accidents with pedestrians (six per cent) and cyclists (seven per cent) because they weren’t looking
• Only a quarter (25 per cent) of drivers can correctly identify the stopping distance when travelling at 40mph
• No excuses - in-car technologies, such as collision avoidance systems, add as little as three per cent to the overall price of a new vehicle
   

More than 11 million motorists (28 per cent) have been involved in a collision, either because they weren’t looking at the road or because they didn’t check their blind spot, reveals new research from Direct Line Car Insurance1.

Nearly a fifth of motorists (18 per cent) have been involved in a collision with another vehicle because they allowed their eyes to drift off the road. Almost a quarter of male drivers (24 per cent) have been involved in a collision with another vehicle due to not watching the road, compared to 11 per cent of female drivers. A study by Direct Line, utilising eye tracking technology2, established drivers spend on average 18 per cent of their time behind the wheel not watching the road, looking elsewhere every nine seconds. 

Letting eyes wander away from the road due to distractions and boredom can have serious implications, not just affecting other motorists but also pedestrians and cyclists. Almost three million drivers have been involved in accidents with pedestrians (six per cent) and cyclists (seven per cent) simply because they were not looking.  Research proves drivers fail to identify almost a quarter (22 per cent) of cyclists on the road, when tracked via eye tracking technology, despite them being in clear view of the vehicle2.  
 

Table one:  Collisions experienced due to not looking and blind spot

Source:  Direct Line Car Insurance 2017
 

One in ten (11 per cent) motorists has crashed into ‘road furniture’ because they weren’t looking properly, with a further ten per cent doing so because they didn’t check their blind spot. Road furniture includes signs, lampposts and post boxes, which can cause significant damage to a vehicle and danger to the driver and passengers.

Nick Reid, head of automotive technology at Direct Line Car Insurance, commented: “Letting our eyes drift away from the road while we drive or not checking our blind spot before manoeuvring is dangerous at best and potentially fatal at worst. We urge drivers to consider not just themselves but other road users and pedestrians when driving, as ‘I just didn’t see them’ is not a valid excuse for any collision. While nothing should replace driver vigilance, increased take up of driver assistance technologies such blind spot detection, pedestrian and cyclist warning and automatic braking systems could help reduce the number of unnecessary accidents on our roads.”

The study found just a fifth (19 per cent) of drivers could correctly identify the thinking distance for driving at 30mph (nine metres3) and 50mph (15 metres). The thinking distance is the distance drivers travel between spotting a hazard and physically hitting the brakes3. The thinking distance is combined with the braking distance to create the complete stopping distance. Someone travelling at 50mph who sees a hazard will have to travel 53 metres before they are able to come to a complete stop, further proving just how important it is for drivers to keep their eyes and focus on the road at all times.
 

Table two: Thinking distances for various speeds

Source: Direct Line Car Insurance 2017
 

Less than half of drivers (43 per cent) correctly identified that the thinking distance when travelling at 70mph is 21 metres. The total stopping distance for travelling at 70mph is 96 metres, the equivalent of 24 car lengths. Even when motorists see a hazard, they need to travel a significant distance before being able to come to a complete stop.

When asked about overall stopping distance, only a quarter (25 per cent) of drivers correctly identified this as 36 metres when travelling at 40mph. Worryingly, half (49 per cent) underestimated the distance taken to stop; guessing it to be just 12 metres (13 per cent) or 23 metres (36 per cent).

Just half of drivers (51 per cent) are willing to invest in pedestrian and cyclist collision warning systems and blind spot detection for their next vehicle.   This insight comes as analysis4 of in-car technology add-ons, available for the ten most popular models of car, reveals they increase the overall price of a car by just three per cent.  These features range from collision avoidance systems, to 360° cameras that warn drivers when a collision is imminent, to road sign recognition software and lane assist technology to ensure the car remains on course. Of the additional technologies reviewed, the vast majority of packages (85 per cent) assisted the drivers’ field of vision or road awareness.

ENDS 

Notes to editors

1 Research conducted by Opinium amongst 2,005 UK adults between 4th April and 6th April 2017

2 Psychologists & human-computer interface experts, conducted research of behalf of Direct Line Car Insurance amongst a representative sample of 100 UK drivers in locations including London, Sheffield and Oxford

3 Stopping and thinking distances taken from the Driving test website - https://www.drivingtestsuccess.com/pages/stopping-distances-and-the-theory-test

4  Direct Line analysis of the optional technological add-ons available for the 10 best-selling cars in the UK, as listed by CarBuyer.co.uk. Prices and specifications taken from manufacturers’ websites

For further information, please contact:

Simon Henrick

Head of news and issues

Direct Line Group

Tel: 01651 831 668

Email: [email protected]  
 

Direct Line

Started in 1985, Direct Line became the first UK insurance company to use the telephone as its main channel of communication. It provides motor, home, travel and pet insurance cover direct to customers by phone or on-line.

Direct Line general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Direct Line and UK Insurance limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.

Customers can find out more about Direct Line products or get a quote by calling 0345 246 3761 or visiting www.directline.com