4 February 2008
Last week's cold snap, which saw icy conditions and snow showers hit much of the UK, could have caused much higher car crash rates according to esure.
The car insurance provider has said that British drivers face an accident rate 31% higher in the winter months than during the summertime, due to hostile driving conditions and reduced hours of daylight.
Recent esure research also shows that 20% of drivers have experienced a car accident due to ice - and that 63% believe road surfaces need to be gritted more frequently.
Moreover, 42% were found by the car insurance firm to have previously been trapped in their home because their street was too icy to drive on.
Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at esure, commented: "It is clear that some local councils could be doing more during winter to ensure all small roads in their area are gritted thoroughly, to help improve the dangerous driving conditions for motorists.
"It is of the utmost importance to be aware of road safety during the winter months and to judge carefully when it is safe to drive - if you feel it's unsafe…then leave your car at home and take public transport instead."
Regionally, esure's study found that Scotland - which experiences harsher winter conditions than any other part of the UK - had the least safe roads.
Welsh local authorities were found to preside over the safest roads, by contrast.
© 2008 Adfero Ltd
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