BRITISH DRIVERS NOT 'SEEING THE LIGHT' AS THE CLOCKS GO FORWARD
The RAC Foundation is urging motorists to make the most of the extra hour of daylight this weekend by giving their cars a safety 'spring clean.'
The Foundation's analysis of Government figures* shows 1.4 million motorists could be risking a fine or accident for having defective lights, just over one million for dangerous brakes and nearly 700,000 for worn tyres.**
Studies*** have also shown that concentration is affected by the beginning and end of British Summer Time. These transition days are particularly difficult for teenagers, already over-represented in accident statistics. All these factors create a greater risk of a tired driver taking to the road in an unsafe car.
The RAC Foundation is urging Britain's drivers to take a few minutes this weekend to do a 'spring clean' and check that lights, brakes and windscreens are clean and fully operational.
Common complaints about lights include:
Vehicles with headlights or sidelights not working
Badly adjusted headlights that dazzle oncoming drivers
Rear fog lamps switched on in good weather again dazzling following drivers
Cyclists riding after dark without lights, especially in urban or built-up areas.
Sheila Rainger, Acting Director of the RAC Foundation said: "It's very easy to get complacent about vehicle checks, but essential safety items like lights, tyres and brakes should be checked regularly.
"This weekend's extra hour of evening daylight is an ideal opportunity to do those crucial tasks you have been putting off all winter.
"Faulty lights, bad brakes and worn tyres mean a reduction in the ability to see, react to and avoid an accident. There is no excuse for not keeping your car roadworthy. Drivers need to see the light: don't wait until the MOT test is due to make sure you car is safe."
* Transport Statistics Great Britain 2007
** Top three reasons for MOT test failures, from 2006 findings in the TSGB report.
*** Bunney, W.E., Bunney, B.G., "Molecular clock genes in man and lower animals: possible implications for circadian abnormalities in depression," Neuropsychopharmacology 22 (2000): 335-45
