Evening rushhour peak time forroad accidents

ONE in five road accidents in Scotland have taken place at rush hour, a study has found.

The research by One Poll shows 22 per cent of Scottish road accidents take place between 4pm and 6pm, “making it one of the most dangerous times to be on the road”.

The study commissioned by Confused.com, the insurance price comparison site, says that with over four in five Scottish drivers citing darkness as their least favourite condition to drive in, many drivers are not looking forward to the clocks going back an hour this weekend.

With some areas of Scotland experiencing only seven hours of daylight over the next few months, the research suggests drivers need to be extra vigilant on the roads.

Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart says drivers should act on the findings.

Peter Rodger, IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving advice said: “The evening rush hour has been a major concern for injuries on the road, with darkness adding to the problem as autumn and winter conditions settle in, aggravated by the annual change to GMT at the end of October.

“Drivers would be helped by a quick reminder to do the things that may help as the evenings start earlier – make sure the lights work but don’t dazzle, that windows are kept clean inside and out, and accept the conditions may alter the way they make journeys.”

Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, said: “Reduced visibility clearly plays a part in motorists’ reservations about driving at night, yet we don’t teach people how to cope with night time conditions as a matter of course.”