One in six motorists don’t realise running a red light is illegal

One in six drivers don’t realise that running a red light is illegal, new research suggests.

In fact, motorists caught driving through a red traffic light will be hit with three points on their driving licence.

The research, conducted by insurer Admiral, primarily looked at what annoys motorists on British roads. One question asked respondents to pick the one legal action from a list of possible answers – one in six chose red light running.

Nearly 17 per cent of drivers admitted to taking their eyes off the road to use the radio, while 16 per cent said they’d consumed food or drink behind the wheel.

Ten per cent also admitted to checking their phone while driving, despite recent legislation changes that have increased the punishment for the offence. Motorists caught using a hand-held device at the wheel can receive six points on their licence and a fine of £200 – this means motorists who passed their test less than two years earlier will receive an automatic ban.

However, more than half of the 2,000 respondents said that other motorists using a phone while driving was their biggest annoyance on the road.

Alistair Hargreaves from Admiral said: “We were shocked by the number of people who think it’s legal to jump a red light, when in fact it could land you points on your licence.

“Another interesting takeaway was how many people want etiquette to be part of a learner driver’s education. We are known as a nation for being polite, and the fact the majority of people essentially want to enforce courtesy training on the road reinforces how important politeness is to British people.”