Revealed – top reasons for road collisions in the UK

A recent OneSureInsurance study unveiled that the primary cause of road collisions in the UK stems from errors or reactions by drivers and riders.

Analyzing data sourced from the UK Department for Transport spanning 2012 to 2021, the study identified the key factors contributing to reported road collisions and casualties. At the forefront is driver and rider error or reaction, accounting for 650,506 crashes from 2012 to 2021. Distracted driving, impaired judgment, and reckless behavior significantly bolster this category.

In second place lies the failure of drivers and riders to look properly, responsible for 375,594 collisions in the decade leading up to 2021. Neglecting to check blind spots, misjudging distances, and failing to yield the right of way fall within this category.

Other common reasons for collisions

Behavioral issues or inexperience rank as the third most prevalent cause of collisions, with 221,483 occurrences. This encompasses aggressive driving, impatience, and inexperience, with novice drivers and riders, lacking the expertise to handle challenging situations, being particularly susceptible.

Further down the list, injudicious actions like abrupt lane changes, improper overtaking, and aggressive driving emerge as the fourth most common cause of collisions, totaling 203,312 occurrences.

The top five concludes with 194,392 collisions resulting from the driver or rider's inability to accurately assess the path or speed of other vehicles.

The top 10 most common reasons for a collision in the UK are as follows:

“It's clear from this data that driver and rider behaviour remains a central issue, with errors, distractions, and lapses in judgment accounting for a significant portion of accidents. These findings reinforce the importance [of] responsible and attentive driving and riding habits,” a OneSureInsurance spokesperson said.

Elsewhere in the segment, recent research by Forbes Advisor has revealed undeclared car modifications as the primary reason for disallowed car insurance claims in the UK.

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