Recently renewed my hgv and psv licenses after letting them lapse, with a view to potentially return to driving if needs must. Can cope with dcpc and other crud, but what does concern me is the amount of accidents on the roads now, or perhaps to be more accurate, the traffic bedlam that quickly ensues after an accident.
Whilst there have always been ‘bumps’ out there, is it just me or do there seem to be far more accidents nowadays? Hardly seems to be a single day where the motorway network doesn’t grind to a halt as an aftermath of an accident.
What are other peoples thoughts about this perceived increase?
I think it’s just more camera phones and internet access = more reportings of accidents.
If we weren’t told about them all, we’d only know the ones that affected us.
I am on about the ones I see on the regional BBC traffic reporting… 
I currently work a two shift system. When I am on afternoons I check for my girlfriend of a morning as she has to go down the M54 and M6 to get to work and I check for my own journey to work later in the day, as it can cause bedlam on my journey if the M6 is stationary or diverting, so i need to plan other routes.
It is the volume of bumps out there nowadays. When I used to drive distance years ago I could go for weeks without being held up in the traffic mayhem of an accident, whereas now they seem to be a daily occurence, especially on the motorways in this area (Staffordshire & West Midlands).
In all honesty, there’s many more vehicles on the roads, and the driving standards have plummeted, add to this the modern vehicle being so ‘cocooned’ to sort of disconnect the driver from the world around, then the self important nature of everyone using the roads, then the new distractions from mobile phones - now worse due to them being smart phones - and other such.
Next time you stop in a queue, look at the vehicle next to you and see if they’re using their phone in any way, I’d say at least 8 out of 10 times they will be - and it mostly seems to be facebook that’s grabbing their attention…
I don’t have the radio on whilst driving, or look at the sat nav unless I have to. You gotta be awake these days.
^^^^ that post hits the nail firmly on the cranium.
Edit to add, that sneaky Vern posted just before me, making my post look like gibberish. ( nowt new there then) . I intended to agree with Wayne., 
Thanks Vern. 
M6 West Mids/Staffs is equal to the M25 (IMO)
The way I see it is-the Poxy Authorities allowed a White Elephant called the M6 Toll to be built & now around 3 cars an hour use it, where as around a Million use the old M6 per hour (slight exaggeration lol)
If they made it free to use, the traffic could split up, causing less congestion & less accidents/fatalities but as usual it’s all about Revenue/Money (whoever it goes to !)
I put a lot of it down to the blame culture we live in now. Before if you had a bump you pulled over & exchanged details, move on. Now it’s who’s fault is it, I’ve got whiplash & cannot move, take photos, phone for recovery & ambulance, higher pay out you see. That & camera phones, blogs, you tube etc. why does everyone want to be famous?
Yep I thinks more Accidents, general poor stand of driving by most road users.
But more people are surviving accidents due to better vehicle design. And in some ways this makes it worst as they use there vehicle more aggressively thinking there safe?
I put it down to mental alertness and fatique.
Drivers on the internet when they should be sleeping.
Social media such ■■■■■■■ and Facelook.
Watching films late at night.
Having too much to drink the night before.
Family problems and divorce.
Marriage problems.Custody battles over children.
Financial worries.
Bad diet.
I think the 15 hour duty should be banned.
on the run:
Yep I thinks more Accidents, general poor stand of driving by most road users.
But more people are surviving accidents due to better vehicle design. And in some ways this makes it worst as they use there vehicle more aggressively thinking there safe?
Folk do seem to think that cocooned in their modern car with all the air bags, crumple zones etc they feel invincible in some strange way? Not new though, a friend of mine gave me a ride in his new BMW many years ago and we went off like a rocket up single track country roads…and then we encountered another vehicle approaching! Instead of slowing he shot up the grass bank scattering clods of earth about, I was bricking it but all he said was “Don’t worry, we are in a Beemer” as if that was somehow like his own personal safety bubble. Being at that time a ‘Professional’ driver I could see the dangers whereas he could not, and it scared me that he wasn’t alone in thinking like that.
Pete.
Beats me how so many can afford the insurance when they’re all out there fender-bendering all the time. 
switchlogic:
I
It’s not like you to be shy Luke! Come on man, out with it.
I’m not at all convinced there are more accidents out there (not significantly so at any rate). What has changed is that the majority of the Motorway network is now covered by real-time CCTV cameras and congestion-detection equipment, so any time there is a problem “Sally Traffic” etc gets to know about it almost immediately and can include details of it to fill her bulletins (fnarr, fnarr) pretty much as soon as they happen. Only a few years ago, local police forces kept details of “live” incidents pretty much to themselves unless there was serious congestion that was expected to go on for some time.
Of course, traffic volumes have increased greatly over the decades, so that any time there is a problem, its effects escalate much more quickly than they used to.
the maoster:
^^^^ that post hits the nail firmly on the cranium.
Edit to add, that sneaky Vern posted just before me, making my post look like gibberish. ( nowt new there then) . I intended to agree with Wayne.,
Thanks Vern.
No problem, and what was wrong with what I wrote? 
bigvern1:
the maoster:
^^^^ that post hits the nail firmly on the cranium.
Edit to add, that sneaky Vern posted just before me, making my post look like gibberish. ( nowt new there then) . I intended to agree with Wayne.,
Thanks Vern.
No problem, and what was wrong with what I wrote?
. Nowt wrong with yours mate, and if it helps I fully agree.
