Most drivers don’t seem to be convinced by environmental alarmism or EVs and the importance of cars has grown with 81% of drivers saying that they would find life difficult without a car. Only 23% of drivers see pubic transport as an acceptable alternative to the car. Highway Code changes get slated by drivers too.
The RAC Report on Motoring 2022 (1), which surveys driver attitudes, has been published. Although the report’s headlines concentrate on EVs, with 1 in 7 drivers saying that their next car will be an EV (6 out of 7 saying their next car won’t be an EV), the league table of driver concerns is very interesting.
Not surprisingly the cost of petrol and diesel is now the top concern (55%), followed by the condition and maintenance of roads (45%), the poor standard of other motorist’s driving (30%) is third, use of handheld mobile phones (26%) is fourth, and fifth (22%) is the behaviour of cyclists. The environmental impact of driving is 13th equal at 12% and the impact of harmful emissions from vehicles on health is 18th (equal last) at 8%.
Driver attitudes to the recent changes to the Highway Code are also interesting. 49% of drivers believe the changes will make pedestrians less safe with only 17% believing the changes will increase pedestrian safety. The controversial ‘hierarchy of road users’ also gets slated with 77% of drivers saying all road users have an equal responsibility to keep themselves safe.
ABD spokesman Paul Biggs said: “It’s refreshing to see so many of the ABD’s views and policies resonating with drivers. Despite politicians being obsessed with the impractical soundbite policies of ‘walking and cycling’ or public transport, the vast majority of the UK’s 37 million drivers value their cars more than ever. This should serve as a warning to politicians who continue to attack drivers with totally unjustified anti-car policies.”
With reference to EVs, the ABD has jointly funded (with the Motorcycle Action Group – MAG) a new ground breaking cost:benefit analysis of the 2030 – 2040 petrol/diesel vehicles ban, produced for Fair Fuel for UK Motorists and Hauliers All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) by the highly respected Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), which shows that the costs of the 2030 – 2040 bans are 5 times the claimed benefits (2).
Ends
Notes for Editors
(1) RAC Report on Motoring 2022: https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/features/rac-report-on-motoring-2022/
(2) Economic impacts of the 2030 – 2040 bans on fossil fuel vehicles: https://fairfueluk.com/CEBR-2030-BAN/
