Another interesting story – on a very interesting website by the name of Lady Motor!
The article cites some recent statistics, which says that 6% of accidents on our roads come about as a result of changing lanes. They estimate that damage resulting from this amounts to nearly £440 million each year.
The article adds that poor awareness is the culprit, and that the figure has doubled over the last two years.
The article says not checking blindspots and not indicating have been highlighted as major reasons for the increase.
It’s interesting that on one of the forums frequented by learner drivers, there was a recent discussion about the things you’re taught that are a “waste of time”, and which you don’t bother with once you have your licence.
Top of the list was “mirror checks”. It seems that our darling little A*** GCSE and A Level geniuses don’t think mirror checks are important when driving on the road!
The problem clearly goes deeper than just not doing it.
For example, why would someone do a lane change without checking? Perhaps because they’re in the wrong lane to start with? Most likely, the outside lane – it is a trait of poor drivers/chavs that they always migrate to the “fast” lane, whether it is on the straight, at traffic lights, or on a roundabout.
So it isn’t not doing mirror checks which is the ultimate problem – it’s being in the wrong lane. And even that can’t be nailed as the absolute cause, because it is being poor drivers that makes people get into the wrong lane. And the definition of “poor driving” is down to a whole raft of issues.