Drivers are being unwittingly caught out by ‘confusing' bus lanes
with more than a third (36%) saying they have accidentally driven
in one, a new RAC study has found.*
What's more, four-in-10 (42%) of those who admit to having done
it say they were caught on camera and asked to pay a fine. This
is no doubt why an overwhelming majority (85%) want to see
councils issue a warning letter the first time someone is caught
driving in a bus lane, rather than an instant fine.
The RAC has long argued that few drivers deliberately choose to
drive in bus lanes – something this research has confirmed with
only 4% admitting to doing that – and that drivers either miss
the signage or are confused by it.
Among drivers who have bus lanes operating only at certain times
of the day in their areas, well over half (56%) believe the
signage is inadequate. A third (33%) say signs are not easy to
spot while driving and not easy to understand, while 23% say the
signs are visible enough but not easy to understand. Forty-four
per cent, however, believe the signage is easy to see and easy to
understand.
In terms of why drivers think bus lane signs are hard to spot
and/or understand, 85% say it's because there is too much
information to read and take in about the hours of operation, all
while they're trying to drive safely. Three-in-10 (29%) feel
there aren't enough signs advising a bus lane is ahead and a
quarter (26%) claim the signage is too small.
Fears about accidentally being caught driving in a bus lane run
deep, with 28% saying they never drive in bus lanes – regardless
of whether they are only operational at certain times – as that
way they can't get fined. A third (32%) also say they tend to
err on the side of caution by not driving in bus lanes if they
miss or couldn't read the signs. Thirty-one per cent say they
will only drive in a bus lane if they are absolutely sure it's
not in operation.
RAC head of policy Simon said: “We have always maintained
that the majority of drivers don't deliberately set out to drive
in bus lanes, so it's good to see this research confirming that.
Our suspicions around the visibility and clarity of bus lane
signage have also been borne out, with drivers expressing
considerable concerns about signs often being hard to spot and
difficult to understand.
“Bus lanes are more common in urban environments where the
driver's job in spotting and comprehending bus lane signage is
arguably even harder. There is so much else to take in, from
vehicles and other road users to traffic lights and warning
signs.
“For these reasons, we continue to call on councils to write to
drivers who stray into bus lanes the first time, rather than
simply issuing them with fines. While it's fair that anyone who
deliberately drives in bus lanes should expect to be fined, our
research shows that far too many drivers end up doing so
unwittingly, most probably because the signage really isn't good
enough. This can be despite bus lane signage almost certainly
meeting government guidelines.
“We therefore feel there's a good case for this guidance to be
updated. Our findings suggest the quality and frequency of
signage is a big part of why so many drivers fall foul of bus
lanes.
“And it appears there is a very unfortunate knock-on effect for
bus lanes that only operate at certain times of day, with drivers
not using them even when they're allowed to. This seems to be for
a combination of reasons ranging from an inherent fear of being
fined to just not being sure of what the signs say. We have a
great deal of sympathy for drivers because there is a lot of
information to process when you're at the wheel of a car doing
your best to drive safely. It is also worth noting that failing
to use the available road space to its full capacity can have a
detrimental impact on traffic flow.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
* Research conducted with 1,763 drivers by Online95 from 15-24
November 2024. Only those who hold a full, current UK driving
licence, drive at least once a month and have a motor vehicle in
their household took part.
