38 per cent not prepared for severe weather

Published: 21/12/2011

Last week we had a gentle reminder of the potential havoc that could hit our roads as the first flurry of wintry weather landed. Yet despite this, and the previous three years of bad weather, 38 per cent of drivers have failed to take any measures to safeguard themselves and their vehicles¹.

Last year, the severe weather contributed to 2,328 accidents in which there were 20 fatalities and over 3,000 casualties².

Following three consecutive years of bad weather, many drivers are expecting councils to be better prepared for another difficult weather season. However, according to the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), 67 councils are likely to have a smaller budget to spend on winter road services than last year². This alarming news highlights the need for drivers to take matters into their own hands to avoid a road traffic accident this winter.

According to the AA Populus panel, just 4 per cent of road users have bought winter tyres. This however is up on last year (3 per cent). 7 per cent have purchased all-season tyres¹.

42 per cent of drivers have put breakdown provisions in their cars such as shovels and blankets while 39 per cent have invested in a pair of walking boots¹. Whilst these figures are all up, there are still over a third of motorists completely unprepared for the risks of winter driving.

The AA has produced a winter check list, including a winter emergency kit, in an attempt to help drivers avoid road traffic accidents this winter.

¹AA (Dec 2011)
²IAM Driving Road Safety (Nov 2011)

Content correct at time of publication