With motorists advised to cut their speed by as much as a third in wet weather conditions, the research shows that drivers are failing to reduce their speed despite stopping distances being at least double those required for stopping on dry roads.
Of even greater concern, were the 48 per cent of drivers who were filmed exceeding the recommended speed limit when driving in wet or rainy conditions, with one in 15 (seven per cent) driving at over 80mph. The study revealed HGV drivers increased their average speed by 1.4 per cent when driving in the rain, which is concerning given their braking distances are much greater than a car’s, even in good weather.
Over the last two years alone, 4,631 car accidents in the rain have resulted in serious injury, while some 340 rain-related accidents resulted in a fatality. This is the equivalent of 16 injuries for every rainy day across the UK. One in eight (12 per cent) reported accidents on Britain’s roads occur in poor weather, with rain accounting for nine out of every ten of these accidents. The chance of being involved in a single car accident, involving another object like a lamppost or tree, also increases in wet weather (34 per cent vs 28 per cent).
Alex Borgnis, head of Car Insurance at Churchill, said: “We urge drivers to take extra care and adapt to wet weather conditions on the roads or they increase the risk of being involved in an accident. Additional surface water can result in aquaplaning, which, when combined with poor visibility can make driving extremely dangerous. Reducing speed and increasing braking distances can give drivers extra seconds to react and has the potential to prevent a serious accident.”
Drivers openly admit that they don’t adjust their speed in wet weather, with 23.3 million (55 per cent) reporting that that don’t bother to slow down in light rain. Some 16.1 million (38 per cent) won’t slow down in windy conditions, while 13.2 million (31 per cent) won’t on wet roads. Interestingly, those who rate themselves as poor drivers are less likely to adapt their speed according to adverse weather conditions, presenting an even greater risk to others on the road.
Table one: Percentage of drivers who do not slow down in hazardous weather conditions by driving ability
Source: Churchill Car Insurance 2019
When looking at the riskiest time of year for rain-related danger, January is, unsurprisingly, the highest risk month, with 15.3 per cent of all traffic accidents during January taking place in wet conditions, followed by November (14.9 per cent) and February (14.6 per cent). Warmer months don’t negate risk though, as the typical British summer means that even during July and August rain accounts for nine per cent of road accidents.
While rainy conditions cause a high number of accidents, the most dangerous weather conditions are fog and mist, with a serious injury or death occurring in nearly three per cent of all accidents, more than twice the average rate, while accidents in rain result in fatality in 1.3 per cent of incidents, which is in line with the average rate. More than two fifths (42 per cent) of accidents in fog or mist only involve a single vehicle, the highest proportion of any weather condition.
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