Lloyds TSB Insurance Reveals Breaks From Driving Fuel Accident
Rates
Released
on: October 14, 2009, 7:34 am
Author: Lloyds
TSB Insurance
Industry: Financial
New
research released by Lloyds TSB Insurance has revealed the serious
impact of driving breaks on accident rates, as nearly 100,000
crashes caused last year were by drivers taking to the wheel after
a long break from driving.
Lloyds
TSB Insurance commissioned road safety experts to test the roadworthiness
of licensed motorists who had not driven for six months or more.
The results revealed that these drivers made four times as many
serious safety errors as regular drivers, worryingly increasing
their crash-risk by a quarter.
The
insurer estimates that 98,000 accidents last year can be directly
attributed to lack of driving practice, causing over £200
million worth of damage. Yet public awareness of the risks is
low, with half a million 'rusty drivers' planning to take to the
road in the next 12 months.
Driver
ability in all key areas is impaired, according to the findings,
with serious deficiencies in observation (86 per cent), speeding
discipline (27 per cent), clutch control (33 per cent) and steering
(13 per cent).
Crash
risk is also heightened by the length of the driving 'break',
with those taking to the wheel after a year nearly twice as likely
to have an accident.
Despite
the experiment revealing no marked difference in performance between
the sexes, further research suggests women are more likely to
take extended driving breaks than men (58 per cent vs. 42 per
cent).
Commenting on the research, Karen
McCarthy of Lloyds TSB Insurance, said:
"There
is no substitute for practice and anyone thinking of getting behind
the wheel after a long break needs to think really carefully about
the risks. A simple refresher lesson or practice in a low traffic
area can make a huge difference to your confidence and road awareness."
Ends
About
Lloyds TSB Home
Insurance:
Lloyds TSB Home Insurance offers customers home
insurance, home
owners insurance and emergency
home insurance designed to meet different customers' needs.
Lloyds
TSB Bank plc and Lloyds TSB Scotland plc are authorised and regulated
by the Financial Services Authority and signatories to the Banking
Codes.
Lloyds
TSB Bank plc Registered Office: 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V
7HN.
Registered in England and Wales no. 2065.
For further information, and full details of the experiment
please contact:
Chris Blackwood
Band & Brown Communications
57A Jamestown Road
London
NW1 7DB
T: 020 7419 8635
M: 0779 524 7275
2012
