We all think we’re great drivers on the road, but new research has shown a big leap in serious collisions – and driver error is to blame.
The analysis, from motor insurance provider Churchill, shows there were more than 223,000 road traffic incidents across the UK between 2018 and 2020, the latest available data.
With the proportion of accidents resulting in death or serious injury rising from 24% to 28%, it meant there were 43 more serious events per 1,000 collisions, according to Churchill.
Police reports show that the most common contributing factor for a collision is driver error or reaction, which was listed in two thirds (66%) of accounts. Behaviour or inexperience, which covers the driver failing to look properly, not judging another person’s path or speed, or taking a poor turn or manoeuvre, was a contributing factor in 23% of incidents.
Contributing factors leading to road traffic accidents, 2018-2020
| Cause | Number of accidents | Share of total accidents |
| Driver error or reaction | 148,005 | 66.1% |
| Behaviour or inexperience | 51,817 | 23.2% |
| Injudicious action (unwise driver actions) | 45,679 | 20.4% |
| Impairment or distraction | 34,918 | 15.6% |
| Road conditions | 26,189 | 11.7% |
| Vision affected by external factors | 23,127 | 10.3% |
| Vehicle defects | 3,920 | 1.8% |
This is followed by ‘injudicious action’, which covers exceeding the speed limit, disobeying traffic signals, or performing illegal manoeuvres – a factor in 20% of incidents.
External factors, such as vehicle defects (2%), vision being affected by external factors (10%) and road environment (12%) are less likely to contribute to accidents than factors within the control of the motorist.
Top five accident types, 2018-2020
| Accident | Cause | Number of accidents | Share of total accidents |
| Driver failed to look properly | Driver error or reaction | 82,944 | 37.1% |
| Driver failed to judge other person`s path or speed | Driver error or reaction | 43,502 | 19.4% |
| Driver careless, reckless or in a hurry | Behaviour or inexperience | 36,313 | 16.2% |
| Poor turn or manoeuvre | Driver error or reaction | 26,651 | 11.9% |
| Loss of control | Driver error or reaction | 24,603 | 11.0% |
Failing to look properly accounted for nearly 83,000 (37%) collisions over the past three years, with failing to judge another person’s path or speed (19%), careless, reckless, or hurried driving (16%) and a poor turn or manoeuvre (12%) all listed factors. The worrying cause: ‘loss of control’ contributed to 11% of road accidents.
“The rising number of incidents on our roads leading to death or serious injury is deeply concerning,” says Nicholas Mantel, head of Churchill Motor Insurance. “We know the main causes of these incidents are often down to errors and poor reactions, something that could easily be prevented.
“Avoiding alcohol consumption, getting a good night’s sleep, and focusing on the road rather than multi-tasking, can all help motorists have safer journeys and reduce these risk factors. If all road users just take a few extra seconds to check around them for potential hazards, our roads will be a safer place for all.”
