Half of people in West Midlands 'do not feel safe on region’s roads'
Half of people in the West Midlands do not feel safe using roads in the region – and believe that roads have become more dangerous over the past year, new research has revealed.
Statistics have shown that 51 per cent of people in the West Midlands say they feel unsafe on roads in their local area.
And 62 per cent said this was due to poor road conditions, including potholes, narrow lanes and roadworks, the survey of 2,000 adults by law firm Slater and Gordon has shown.
Furthermore, over the past 12 months, 59 per cent of people say they believe West Midlands roads have become more dangerous. Almost 80 per cent said they noticed dangerous driving at least once a week – with 24 per cent saying they saw this several times a day.
Half of people also said they would cycle or walk more often if they felt the roads were safer.
The research coincides with Road Safety Week, from November 16 to 22, an annual campaign to promote safer roads and the protection of all road users.
This year’s Road Safety Week focuses on safe vehicles – and 56 per cent of people in the West Midlands said they believe drivers are cutting corners on maintaining their vehicles due to cost of living pressures. More than 30 per cent of people admitted to doing this themselves.
Matthew Tomlinson, Head of Serious Injury (North) at Slater and Gordon, says the statistics are worrying.
“It is very concerning that half of people in the West Midlands do not feel safe on their roads – a situation many also believe has worsened over the past year. The levels of dangerous driving, in addition to the conditions of the roads, are creating a situation which is threatening the safety of all road users,” he says.
“We all have a responsibility to make the roads as safe as possible, which includes our own behaviours. The well-documented problems with the state of our roads is highlighted in our research, but we need to be mindful that such dangers unfortunately exist, and ensure we take this into account. Ensuring we drive in a safe and appropriate manner, while taking responsibility for the condition of our cars, is vital in the creation of safer roads and in the protection of fellow drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.”
