Safety Is Key When You Take Your Supercar Out for a Drive
Supercars are all about horsepower, speed, prestige, and looking good, right? Well, safety actually has to play a significant role, and not just the safety of the driver and passengers. Because supercars are so expensive and sometimes historically significant, you need to think about the location in which you drive your pride and joy.
A road filled with holes, cracks, bumps, and non-cautious drivers can really cause some issues, and you need to make sure the roads you drive on are suitable for your car. With that in mind, let’s look at information a recent study of the roadworthiness of UK roads put together by Halfords Autocenter. With it, we can help you do a better job of keeping your self and your supercar safe on UK roads.
Take Note of the Accident Hot Spots
As with any area of the world, some regions of the UK experience more accidents than others. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that London sees the highest number of accidents. In fact, the city accounts for 20 percent of all of the accidents in the UK. The South East region and North West region also see a fair number of accidents.
Does this mean you shouldn’t drive in these areas? Of course, it doesn’t. If you live in London, you’re going to need to drive there. What this simply means is that you need to know you’re more likely to experience an accident in London than you will in, say, some cities in Wales.
Pay Attention While On The Road, and Drive Responsibly
One interesting stat from the study was that 70 percent of collisions can be contributed to driver error. This should tell you a couple of things. Other drivers are pretty lousy at navigating the roads in the UK. To not become one of the people in the 70 percent and keep your supercar safe in the process, you need to stay attentive on the road and focus on driving safely and responsibly.
We talked with Benjamin Campbell, one of the people connected to the study, and he said that supercar owners need to be mindful of the high power their cars possess. “Although it’s tempting to unleash the mighty horsepower inside your supercar, you are putting yourself and other drivers in harm’s way when breaking the speed limit. Be careful to avoid a nasty accident and a hefty fine,” he said.
The regular road is a great place to enjoy your supercar, but it’s not a racetrack. If you really want to push the performance envelope with your car, then you should take it to a place where you can really exploit its capabilities. The road isn’t the place to do it.
Know the Rules of the Road
We found it absolutely amazing that 83 percent of UK motorists lack basic safety knowledge. The 2018 Halfords Autocenters Roadworthiness Quiz had over 55,000 participants and of those participants, 83 percent lacked basic safety knowledge. The quiz included everything from identifying the fog light symbol to stating the legal limit for drinking alcoholic beverages.
The takeaway here is that you should be well-versed in the rules of the road, even the regional rules. Before you head out, make sure you know the laws in every area you plan to travel through.
Also, be aware that the majority of other drivers out there don’t actually know the rules of the road. This means you should adjust the way you drive accordingly.
Avoid the Worst Junctions
The study also revealed some of the worst junctions in the UK. While it doesn’t list all of them, it does showcase the top three. While you may have to go through these junctions in some cases, if possible it may be smart to avoid them altogether. Here are the three junctions:
- Spittals Interchange -A14 – A14 – A141
Located just north of Huntingdon, this interchange has an odd feature where westbound traffic has to turn off at an exit to actually stay on the same road. - Worsley Interchange – M60 – M62 – M602
Located in Manchester, this junction is confusing in part because it has 17 traffic lanes side-by-side. - Chevening Interchange – A21 – M25 – M26
This junction is where the M25 meets the A21 and also the M26. The combining of these roads was not laid out well and can be confusing to motorists.
Because these junctions are difficult to navigate, accidents are common. This means you should avoid these junctions if possible.
Stay Safe on the Road
So, are UK roads safe enough for your supercar? Yes, if you’re willing to drive responsibly and take advantage of the information available to you through studies like this one from Halfords Autocenters. If you are a well-informed driver who operates his or her supercar with care, you should be just fine on UK roads. That’s not to say you’ll never experience any issues, but you should be able to avoid some of the bigger pitfalls that drivers experience.
