Rural roads treated ‘just like racetracks’

Events like the Giro d’Italia gave cycling for pleasure a major boost in the local area and the steady rise in the number of ‘health walkers’ is evident throughout the district.

But now a major road safety charity has warned that people who use the country roads as a means of improving their quality of life now have a greater risk of facing sudden death from reckless drivers.

The charity ‘Brake’ is urging drivers to slow down on country roads this summer to enable families, walkers, cyclists and horse riders to enjoy the countryside. Their appeal follows the shocking results of a nationwide survey which reveals that a huge proportion of motorists treat them like racetracks - and the Ballymena area is no exception. The survey demonstrates that one in three drivers (33%) admit driving too fast for safety on country roads, by speeding, taking bends fast or overtaking.

Four in 10 (37%) have had a near-miss on country roads, while driving, walking or cycling.

Since there is less traffic on country roads, some drivers feel a false sense of security and are prone to take risks like speeding, overtaking, and not slowing down for brows and bends.

The survey of 1,000 UK drivers found:- One in five (19%) admit breaking speed limits on country roads in the past year. Three in 20 (15%) admit taking corners or brows too fast.

One in 20 (5%) admit overtaking when it isn’t safe.

Three in 10 (28%) have been a passenger with a driver who broke the limit, one in five (19%) with a driver who took corners or brows too fast.

Four in five (80%) think traffic is too fast for safety on some or most rural roads.

To cut crashes and empower people to enjoy the countryside, Brake is calling on government to lower limits on rural roads to a maximum of 50mph, and require authorities to implement lower limits where there are particular risks. The survey found widespread support for lower limits, with seven in 10 (72%) in favour of more 50, 40 and 30mph limits on country roads, and two thirds (65%) in favour of a 40mph default in national parks.

Brake is urging all drivers to stay well under current limits - bearing in mind 60mph is generally far too fast for safety on these roads - and slow right down for villages, bends, brows and bad weather, and avoid overtaking. Drivers should always assume that someone, or something, could be around any corner.