Single-track roads cause drivers the most anxiety according to a new AA Driving School poll.
One in ten (11%) say they feel scared on this kind of road with drivers aged 25-to-34 most likely to report worry (13%).
The second scariest type of road was urban/city centre roads with 6% of drivers feeling scared on them; followed by rural roads (4%), motorways (4%), dual carriageways (1%) and single carriageways (1%).
Drivers’ fear of rural roads and urban roads decreased significantly among older drivers, indicating experience plays an important role in confidence. On rural roads 8% of 18-24-year-olds said they were scared but this dropped to just 3% among drivers over 65. On urban roads 8% of young drivers said they felt scared compared to 3% of older drivers.
The AA has recently given evidence to the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry into young and novice drivers. A key part of its evidence is to support changes to the learning to drive process that would place greater emphasis on making sure learner drivers gained greater experience before passing their test. The AA would support this being done through a mandatory logbook rather than through excessive post-test measures such as curfews and passenger restrictions.
Sarah Rees, managing director of the AA Driving School, said: “These results show feeling nervous is a familiar feeling for many drivers.
“It’s not surprising that age reduces fear as experience is a vital tool for any driver. Increasing new drivers’ range of experience is why we would support the introduction of a mandatory logbook for learner drivers.
“Of course this won’t help those who already have their licence and are struggling with their confidence, but refresher lessons can be a real boost for those drivers.
“It’s interesting how experience only reduces fear on certain types of roads, perhaps indicating some drivers’ apprehension about motorways becomes so ingrained they struggle with it for their whole driving life.”
