New photo Crashes caused by drivers going too slowly soars by a third in UK

The number of road crash casualties caused by slow drivers has surged by almost a third, official figures show.

They caused 175 injuries and two deaths on UK roads in 2017, Department for Transport figures show.

It represents a 31 per cent increase in a year, raising concerns that hesitant or slow drivers – including so-called middle lane hogs – could be emerging as a safety threat. The figures also detail incidents where a slow-moving vehicle was a contributory factor.

Two people died and 175 were injured by drivers going too slowly on UK roads in 2017

While campaigners often focus on the dangers posed by speeding drivers, AA president Edmund King warned that ‘driving like a snail can be as dangerous as driving like a cheetah’.

He said large numbers of motorway users hog the middle lane and drive far below the speed limit, which can fuel dangerous overtaking as well as congestion.

‘I was in a queue of five cars joining the M3 recently when the lead driver was driving at approximately 25mph,’ he said. ‘It was incredibly dangerous.’

Driving well below the speed limit can lead to punishment for careless driving – an offence that normally carries a £100 fine and three points on a licence.

While most instances of slow driving will result in a verbal warning from police, a maximum penalty of £5,000 and nine penalty points could be issued if a case goes to court.

Minimum speeds are rare on UK roads but are in place at some high-risk locations, such as tunnels, with drivers notified by a circular blue sign.

The Department for Transport statistics also show that 261 people died as a result of drivers being ‘careless, reckless or in a hurry’, while there were 19,639 casualties resulting from such incidents.

A DfT spokesman said: ‘Careless driving including driving too slowly is an offence and anyone caught faces prosecution.’

AA has warned that 'driving like a snail' can be every bit as dangerous as going too fast

The rise of slow drivers could be down to the record number of elderly drivers on Britain’s roads, according to the AA.

DVLA figures show almost 5million of the 39 million driving licence holders are aged over 70. More than 100,000 of these are aged over 90. 

AA spokesman Luke Bosdet told the Daily Telegraph: ‘The vast majority of elderly drivers drive locally and stick to set routes.

‘But if they are driving slowly on the motorways when they go on longer journeys to see a relative, than that becomes a problem.’

Mr Bosdet also said impatient motorists behind slow drivers can cause accidents, adding ‘some people are so keen to get ahead they will take risks’. 

Older drivers must complete a self-assessment every three years and declare they are in good enough shape to continue driving.

But there is no requirement to take a formal driving test or medical before they go back on the roads. A poll of 2,000 UK drivers commissioned by car maker Hyundai this year found slow drivers is the seventh most common cause for motorists to swear.

Research published last year by Queensland University of Technology found the risk of accidents rises when motorists slow down to use their mobile phone. 

The study suggested it prompted tail-end crashes, congestion and frustrated drivers performing aggressive overtaking manoeuvres.

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News Pictures Crashes caused by drivers going too slowly soars by a third in UK

You don’t have to pack away your bikini just because you’re the wrong side of 20. These body-beautiful stars reveal their secrets to staying in shape and prove you can smoulder in a two-piece, whatever your age. Read on and be bikini inspired!

TEENS
Hayden Panettiere
Size: 8
Age: 18
Height: 5ft 1in
Weight: 8st

To achieve her kick-ass figure, Hayden – who plays cheerleader Claire Bennet in Heroes – follows the ‘quartering’ rule. She eats only a quarter of the food on her plate, then waits 20 minutes before deciding whether she needs to eat again.

Hayden says: “I don’t have a model’s body, but I’m not one of those crazy girls who thinks that they’re fat. I’m OK with what I have.”

Nicollette says: “I don’t like diets – I see it, I eat it! I believe in eating healthily with lots of protein, vegetables and carbs to give you energy.”

kim cattrall

Size: 10-12
Age: 52
Height: 5ft 8in
Weight: 9st 4lb

SATC star Kim swears by gym sessions with Russian kettle bells (traditional cast-iron weights) and the South Beach Diet to give her the body she wants. To avoid overeating, Kim has a radical diet trick – squirting lemon juice on her leftovers – so she won’t carry on picking.

Kim says: “I am no super-thin Hollywood actress. I am built for men who like women to look like women.”
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