A reader has drawn my attention to this Autoblog story concerning worn road markings. It is also covered by the BBC.
The story is suggesting that, along with potholes, missing or worn road markings are contributing directly to accidents and subsequent fatalities.
A lot of roads in my area have recently been repainted – they really were dire! However, there are still many where it isn’t clear whether there are two lanes or one, and some of the repainting only seems to have taken place within a certain distance of traffic lights or junctions… in other words, only half the job has been done.
The report claims that eight out of ten of the worst roads in the country also have the worst markings. It also adds:
The AA is so concerned about this issue that just last week it sent out thousands of volunteers to report on worn markings near where they live. The results of this survey will be published soon.
I think we need to be careful. Of course, road markings are important, and there is no doubt that their absence can lead to deangerous situations.
But we also need to remember that being a prat comes much higher up the list than that when it comes to wrapping your car (or bike) around a tree.