RAC publishes annual motoring report
The RAC has today published its annual motoring report.
Unsurprisingly it has found that the primary concern for most drivers is cost. 30% of motorists claimed that it was their primary concern, whilst almost 2 out of 3 said that it was one of their top five motoring concerns. Over half of drivers have cut down or combined the journeys they take this year, the majority in order to cut costs.
As a result of the high cost, many motorists admitted to giving up important day-to-day activities by car. Inevitably it is those drivers in rural areas who have no viable alternative to the car who continue to suffer the most. 85% of those living in the countryside said that they would find it very difficult to manage without a car – compared to 69% of urban dwellers.
Despite this, nearly a third of motorists feel more dependent on their vehicle than they did one year ago, and almost half are more dependent on their vehicle now compared with five years ago. Those with children said that they felt the most dependent.
Road safety continued to be a concern for many drivers with concerns about the behaviour of other drivers high on the list.
It would also appear that cuts in budgets for road safety campaigns run by Government are having an effect on driver behaviour. Of those motorists aged 17-24, driving under the influence of drugs had nearly doubled from 5% in 2011 to 9% in 2012 whilst the number of drivers aged 25-44 accessing social media on their smartphones whilst driving increased by 50%.
There continues to be considerable support for a higher speed limit on motorways, although the level of support has fallen from 75% in 2010 to just 62% in 2012. The majority believe that increasing the motorway limit to 80mph will simply result in more people driving at 90mph.
Full details of the report can be found on the RAC web site at www.rac.co.uk/news-advice/blog/post/2012/6/rac-publishes-2012-report-on-motoring/