Scottish Government

With more serious and fatal road accidents in Scotland occurring on rural rather than other road types, this study, undertaken in 2007, aimed to investigate the causes of such accidents and to gain insights which could be used to tackle the problem. The proportion of drivers travelling on rural roads was identified, and their driving behaviour and attitudes when on such roads were explored, along with an analysis of police recorded accident data of the factors which contribute to rural road accidents.

Main Findings

• Official data recorded by the police show that the most frequently reported factor contributing to rural road accidents was 'loss of control'. Loss of control is strongly associated with driving at inappropriate speed (which includes two factors: 'travelling too fast for the conditions' and 'exceeding the speed limit').
• Only around half the rural road drivers surveyed (51%) knew that the National Speed Limit sign meant a maximum of 60mph for car driving. Men and younger drivers were statistically more likely to report exceeding the speed limit on all road types (including rural roads) than others.
• An analysis of survey responses found there was little difference in the extent of reported non-compliant driving behaviours ( e.g. driving when very tired, whilst using a mobile phone or after drinking any alcohol) on rural roads compared to other road types.
• Survey respondents saw driving on rural roads as low risk, due to fewer vehicles and pedestrians, and lower police presence. Risky driving was not perceived as likely to have negative consequences.
• Based on their responses to questions about speeding behaviour, drivers were clustered into 3 groups: 'Compliants', who tended to observe the speed limit; 'Exceeders', who exceeded speed limits by up to 10mph but no more; and 'Excessives', who routinely exceeded the speed limit by a larger amount. Based on their agreement with a number of attitude statements, drivers were clustered into 5 groups: 'Confident Drivers', 'Accident Aware Drivers', 'Risk Takers', 'Frustrated Drivers' and Apprehensive Drivers'. These categories of drivers could be used in developing and targeting strategies to reduce accidents on rural roads.
• In tackling the problem of rural road accidents, younger male drivers participating in focus groups supported a tougher extended driving test (though not increasing the age for taking the test or introducing curfews for new drivers) and increasing advisory signage on rural roads. In terms of communications, younger drivers responded better to messages that did not challenge their own beliefs in their driving abilities and that could be seen as advice rather than criticism.

Background

Monitoring of progress towards the GBNational Road Safety Strategy (DfT, 2000) ¹ casualty reduction targets for 2010 shows that the fall in all casualties has been greater for built-up rather than non-built-up roads and the number of fatalities has declined at a slower rate on non-built-up roads. While fewer casualties occur on non-built-up roads (42% in 2005), a higher proportion of people killed (72% of total fatalities in 2005) and the majority of people killed or seriously injured (53%) are involved in accidents on roads in non-built-up areas (Scottish Executive, 2005) ².

Against this background, the Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland commissioned a large-scale research project with the aim of building on current knowledge about rural road safety and gaining insight to inform future campaigns to tackle the problem of rural road accidents.

Methods

The research was sequential and consisted of:

• Analysis of police accident reports (using the STATS 19 system). Data on road accidents occurring in 2005 and 2006 were analysed to establish common causes, followed by qualitative analysis of text descriptions of the accidents.
• An omnibus survey (1000 interviews) to assess the proportion of the Scottish population driving on rural roads.
• A face-to-face, in-home survey of 1020 current car drivers on rural roads.
• 6 focus groups, of 5-8 respondents, with younger males (17-34 years) who drove on rural roads.

Targeting car drivers, and specifically younger males, in the primary research focused the study on those shown to be most at risk of being involved in an accident on a rural road.

In analysing the STATS 19 contributory factors data, 2 commonly-used definitions of rural roads were used in parallel: 'A road having a speed limit of more than 40 miles an hour ³' and 'Roads in accessible and remote rural areas ⁴'. The primary research used a broadly accessible, descriptive definition, based on the road types where most accidents occur: 'A road that is outside of towns and has a speed limit of 50 miles an hour or more, but is not a motorway or dual carriageway'.

When things go wrong

STATS 19 is a national system for recording the contributory factors for road accidents (factors which, in the reporting officer's opinion, contributed to the cause of the accident). The analysis of contributory factors gave insight into the causes of rural road accidents. The most frequently reported factors were 'loss of control' (in 45% of fatal and 32% of serious accidents) and inappropriate speed (33% of fatal and 22% of serious). Inappropriate speed is a combination of two speed related factors: 'travelling too fast for the conditions' and, less commonly, 'exceeding the speed limit'.

The incidence of 'loss of control' is markedly higher in rural accidents than in urban accidents 'Loss of control', which was reported in over half of serious and nearly three-quarters of fatal single-car accidents on rural roads, was often reported alongside other factors. The most common were 'travelling too fast for the conditions' and, in fatal accidents, 'exceeding the speed limit', confirming a strong association between loss of control and driving at inappropriate speed.

In the survey of drivers, 17% reported having had a 'near miss' ⁵ on a rural road in the past year. 17-24 year-olds, men, people in higher social grades and people with points on their licence were more likely to report a near miss. Rural dwellers also reported a near miss more often, but this strongly correlated with a higher frequency of driving on rural roads. Near misses generally occurred in daylight, away from a junction on bendy, familiar roads, and 87% involved another vehicle. Only 2% of drivers said they had been in an accident in the past year.

Drivers' Behaviours, Attitudes and Beliefs

In the omnibus survey, 9 out of 10 drivers in Scotland (regardless of whether they lived in a rural or urban area) said they had driven on a rural road in the past 12 months. In the main survey, the majority of drivers (80%) reported driving on rural roads at least once or twice a week, though rural dwellers did so more often.

There was little difference in the extent of non-compliant behaviours reported on rural roads compared with other road types ( e.g. driving when tired, driving when using a mobile phone or after drinking alcohol). Very few drivers said they had been flashed by a speed camera or stopped for speeding, both of which were slightly more common on non-rural roads.

In the main survey and focus groups, participants were shown photographs depicting different road layouts and different weather and light conditions and were asked to assess what speed they would drive at on such roads. In general, people were aware of the need to adjust their speed in response to different road layouts. However, younger male drivers in the focus groups were likely to report driving towards the upper limits of appropriate speed. In the survey, men reported they would drive faster than women at each road layout, and speeds for each road layout decreased with age.

In the main survey, only around half (51%) of drivers knew that the National Speed Limit sign meant 60mph for car driving. The focus group participants indicated that road layout and driving ability determined the speed they drove at more than official speed limits did.

Nearly all drivers who took part in the survey believed their driving ability was at least as good as, if not better than, other drivers. While the majority said they drove at the same speed as other drivers, younger drivers more often said they drove faster. Younger drivers' belief in their abilities means that they see no real need for caution.

Indeed, for the younger male drivers who took part in the focus groups, driving at speed on rural roads was a principal source of enjoyment and rural road driving was seen as an opportunity to test out their driving skills. Such risk-taking was related to the freedom initially associated with driving alone, which tended to wane as they got older and as the novelty of driving wore off.

In the survey, drivers were asked to give their attitudes to a number of statements about driving on rural roads. Using statistical factor analysis, these statements were grouped into four factors, relating to confidence, enjoyment, risky behaviour and beliefs about accidents, and were analysed according to different demographic characteristics. Drivers were then clustered into 5 groups: 'Confident Drivers', 'Accident Aware Drivers', 'Risk Takers', 'Frustrated Drivers' and Apprehensive Drivers'. The key differences were:

• Men and younger, more frequent drivers were more confident, compared with women and infrequent drivers.
• Men and younger drivers showed more enjoyment and riskier behaviour, particularly by testing their driving skills on unfamiliar rural roads.
• Younger drivers were more aware of the likelihood of having an accident at all on a rural road, and of having a more serious accident, than older drivers.

Based on their responses to questions about speeding behaviour, drivers were clustered into 3 groups: 'Compliants', who tended to observe the speed limit; 'Exceeders', who exceeded speed limits by up to 10mph but no more; and 'Excessives', who routinely exceeded the speed limit by a larger amount. Men and younger drivers were statistically more likely to exceed the speed limit on all road types, and thus are over-represented amongst the 'Exceeders' and 'Excessives'.

These categories of drivers, based on speeding behaviours and attitudes to driving, could be used in developing and targeting strategies to reduce accidents on rural roads.

Risk assessment was explored in detail with younger male drivers in the focus groups. Respondents perceived little risk on rural roads, due to fewer vehicles and pedestrians, and lower police presence. The perceived consequences of risky driving did not include incurring penalty points or harming others, while damage to one's vehicle and personal safety were minor concerns. Any potential for risk was seen as being due to external factors, particularly other drivers' misjudgements. The presence of passengers ( e.g. family or children) could moderate risky driving; but for younger male drivers, passengers of their own age and mindset could increase risky driving. Younger male drivers' high levels of confidence and belief in their own abilities minimised the perception of risk.

Recommendations

Legal enforcement, either by reducing the speed limit or by more closely monitoring speeding on rural roads, may have a role, but is not, on its own, a sufficient deterrent unless there is a large and sustained chance of getting caught.

In discussing future actions to address the accident rate on rural roads, the focus groups felt there was a lack of adequate driver training, and suggested that training be extended to cover situations one might encounter on a rural road, which were not emphasised in the current regime. The Pass Plus scheme was criticised for its voluntary nature, high cost and lack of testing.

There was little support amongst the younger male drivers in the focus groups for raising the legal age for taking a driving test to 18. It was felt that experience rather than age was the more important factor. Similarly, there was little support for curfews for younger drivers or restrictions on the number of passengers that new drivers can carry. Doubts were expressed about the enforceability of both these options.

In terms of communications, younger drivers tended to dismiss messages with accident statistics as irrelevant or misleading, and saw messages describing where accidents occur as 'old news'. They had strong beliefs in their driving abilities and viewed rural driving as enjoyable, an opportunity to test their skills and as providing a sense of freedom. Thus, communications that challenge their self-belief or that restrict their pleasure are likely to be ignored. Additionally, the focus groups suggested that messages for this group are likely to be most effective if they adopt an adult-to-adult rather than parent-to-child tone.

Speed-related messages were more appealing, particularly if they emphasised 'safe' speeds rather than legal limits. "Driving too fast for the road conditions is the biggest cause of death on Scotland's roads" was best received, because 'road conditions' could be seen as unforeseen external hazards and thus did not challenge the driver's self-belief. This was also seen as advice not criticism. The positive response to this message should be taken as guidance when developing future communications for rural road safety.

This document, along with "Rural Road Safety: Drivers and Driving" the full research report and Annex of the project, and further information about social and policy research commissioned and published on behalf of the Scottish Government, can be viewed on the Social Research website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/socialresearch . If you have any further queries about social research, or would like further copies of this Research Findings summary document please contact us at socialresearch@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or telephone 0131 244 7560.