Road users in the UK have admitted that the conditions of the roads are their number one concern with a new survey showing what motorists are most concerned about when driving.
The study, which was conducted by the RAC has found that 20% of those surveyed put road conditions as their number one concern, with one in ten stating that it was their main priority. Following on from the survey, RAC insisted that councils should be under a legal obligation to maintain and provide a minimum standard of roads.
Despite this call, the Local Government Association (LGA) insisted that current funding levels means that it would be impossible to improve the roads on a long-term basis and that essential repairs must be prioritised.
50% of motorists that took part in the study believed that in the last year the conditions on the UK’s roads had worsened, with only 10% stating that the conditions had improved.
“Legal Obligation” to Safety
RAC chief engineer David Bizley urged councils to spend more of their funds on repairing and replacing road surfaces and that such issues could lead to more legal battles with councils failing in their duty of care.
He said: "They are under specific legal obligation to provide minimum standards for education and social services whereas their obligations to maintain roads are far less prescriptive.
"It is, therefore, inevitable that expenditure is biased against investment in the likes of road maintenance where prescriptive legal obligations do not exist, and councillors, therefore, do not face legal sanctions."
Despite these calls, Councillor Peter Box, transport spokesman for the LGA, said that it was important that people understood that councils had to prioritise spending on other areas as well as roads.
He said: "While councils share the frustration of motorists at the state of our roads, it is impossible to compare repairing potholes with keeping children safe and caring for our elderly.
"With demand for these life and death services continuing to rise and funding from central government continuing to reduce, councils have little choice but to squeeze budgets for other services, such as maintaining our roads."
"Current funding levels mean councils are only able to keep pace with patching up our roads and filling potholes rather than carrying out more cost-effective and long-term improvements."
Accidents on UK Roads
There are a number of accidents on the UK roads with road traffic accidents being one of the major causes of head injuries, whiplash, serious injuries and even deaths in the UK. However, there are many factors that can contribute to a road traffic accident, with speed, road conditions and driver error being some of the major factors.
If you have been involved in a road traffic accident, that was caused through no fault of your own and were injured. As a result, you will be able to make a compensation claim. Regardless of how serious your injury is in order to make a claim some evidence such as a medical report of witness accounts will be needed. Our team of skilled solicitors will inform you of exactly what is needed to make a successful claim.
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If you suffer an injury on the roads through no fault of your own, it is your right to make a personal injury claim. Get in touch with our team of personal injury lawyers today using our online contact form.