Insects cause 650,000 accidents on UK roads

It might seem strange, but these days insects seem to be causing as much of a problem to British insurance companies as unruly drivers. Half a million motorists – a sizeable portion of drivers in the United Kingdom, have been involved in accidents due to disruptions caused by insects. Not only have lives been lost due to insect-related mishaps but £44 million worth of damage has also been caused as a result.

In a recent survey, www.esure.com found that three in four motorists claimed to have been distracted by insects at some point during the summer. Alarmingly, these distractions caused a portion of affected motorists to behave in a manner that endangered themselves and their fellow passengers.

One in five drivers admitted to relinquishing control of the wheel in an attempt to swat or kill the offending insect. Women are more likely than men to be distracted by insects. 80% of drivers in Birmingham claim to have faced an insect-related distraction at some point during the last two months. On the other hand, a mere 16% of Londoners demonstrated signs of being distracted by bugs when driving.

Analysts at esure believe that a warm and wet summer has been behind these startling figures as flying insects such as mosquitoes, hornets and ladybirds thrive in such conditions.

What can you do to reduce insect-related distractions when behind the wheel? Well, there are a few options. You could always make use of your car’s air conditioner rather than rolling down your windows. If this doesn’t appeal to you, however, esure has developed a device known as a ‘spider-web’ which is designed to stop insects from entering cars via open windows. It is hoped that this device will also offer a more pleasant driving experience to those motorists who would otherwise refrain from opening car windows during the summer months for fear that their vehicle will be infiltrated by winged visitors.

Worried that insects could cause you unwanted bills? Here are a few tips to help you drive safely in the face of winged visitors.

• Never lose sight of the road in front of you. Slow down if you need to.
• If an insect has entered your car, don’t try to kill it whilst driving. Stop your car by the side of the road and then kill the bug.
• Whatever you do, don’t wave your hands to shoo away the bug whilst still behind the wheel. Such hand movements tend to frighten and agitate insects, making them more likely to sting you.

The insurance agency expects that it will have to deal with above average insurance claims in light of the situation. However, by following these simple steps, you’ll reduce the likelihood of being a victim of an insect-related accident.

Comments

Leave your comments

Name:
Email:
Comments:
Please enter the validation code shown

Your email address is required so we can verify that the comment is genuine. It will not be posted anywhere on the site, will be stored confidentially by us and never given out to any third party.