A HUGE majority of drivers fear for their safety when behind the wheel - but believe it is other drivers who pose the danger.
That’s the result of research from road safety charity Brake and Direct Line insurance who reveal that while more than two-thirds – 69 per cent - of drivers consciously worry about being killed when driving, only one per cent believe they perform worse than average when it comes to driving safely.
And a whopping 98 per cent think they are safer than, or as safe as, the average driver.
The 800 drivers questioned made it clear that it’s the risks other drivers take that makes them worry for their lives when on the road.
In fact only one in a hundred drivers believe that the roads are full of safe drivers, one in three think there are more dangerous drivers than safe ones on the road, nearly a third said they feel safer when driving a car compared to other modes of transport and only five per cent said being a passenger in a car made them feel the safest.
The research suggests that many drivers overestimate their driving ability, whilst blaming other drivers’ risky driving for crashes on the roads.
In reality, a high proportion of drivers continue to regularly take risks such as speeding, drink driving or driving tired.
Brake’s campaigns director Julie Townsend said: “Being over-confident, and believing you can get away with risk-taking, is a really dangerous attitude behind the wheel. If you drive, you have a responsibility to yourself and others to stay within the law.
“That’s why we’re calling on drivers to make our ‘Pledge to Drive Safely’. It’s time everyone took it upon themselves to play their part in making our roads safer, instead of just pointing the finger at others.”