To wonder why so many people crash on a straight stretch of motorway?

[ColonelBrandonsPiano]

After another motorway crash, involving road closures and delays etc, I’m once again wondering how so many people seem to crash on a straight stretch of motorway.

junctions - yes, built up traffic in a city - yes, roundabouts- again yes.

but why motorways? Is it due to lack of familiarity? Tiredness from a long drive? Lack of motorway experience. Absolutely baffles me.

Someone went unto the back of us in a steady flowing traffic in the slow lane. Only avoided a shunt as DH was driving impeccably and was hyper aware.
99% sure other driver was on his phone, but police didn't want to know as nobody was hurt. Who knows how many cars he has/will smash into with no consequence.

It might be relatively straight but there are up to 4 lanes filled with cars driving in parallel with each other and moving sideways at regular intervals. You might as well ask why people bump into each other walking down a busy street.

The couple of near misses I've had on motorways have been inattentive drivers pulling into my lane without checking properly. Luckily had space on my outside when a lorry did it to me.

It's impatience, I think.

People don’t leave big enough gaps, so pile ups happen very easily

I’ve seen so many drivers enter the motorway, come straight off the slip road and changing 2 lanes at a time without even judging the speed of the rest of the traffic! They honestly do think they’re god and that they’re special! Probably in their warped mind they’re showing off and thinking ‘oooh look at me, look what I can do! I’m so good’!! Tossers

Any number of reasons.

I had a tyre blow out at 70mph. Luckily I kept control as rest of the road was empty but would have been a different story if someone had been overtaking at the time.

Lots of crashes aren't genuine.

There's a local straight stretch of 70mph dual carriageway that's notorious for 'Crash for Cash' scams. Loads of people getting dashcams now in case they have to prove they're not at fault.

A lot of people are also only focused on what they are doing and not aware enough of cars around them or anticipating other drivers actions. If I'm overtaking on a middle lane and a car in the left lane is gaining on the car in front I anticipate they may pull in front of me (often without checking properly first 🙄) so I glance in my mirror to see how busy the right lane is to see if I have an escape route if they pull a silly manoeuvre. If not I make sure they have adequate room. So much of driving is around being vigilant and being able to react quickly to other people

Not always. Some of us ie the older ones who have nothing to prove aren't like that.

There are a good number of arrogant fuckers of all car makes who are idiots. And don't even start me on the yummy mummy types in 4WD who think that having a big car absolves them from any form of lane control.

I find that totally believable, I've never been comfortable doing it.

But I don't understand why it should be any worse than chatting to the passenger next to you. I know it is, but I can't fathom why talking on the phone is more distracting than an in-person conversation.

If anyone has a theory or explanation, I'd love to hear it.

The smart motorways are very dangerous without hard shoulders

Yes, I think this is right, and although it is often the drove into a tree or lamppost accidents I suppose it will also apply on motorways.

I’ve always assumed it’s because with a passenger they will be reacting to the environment to some extent. So they’ll be quiet if it gets hairy. Also with a phone you have to look at it and fiddle with buttons. Almost never have to fiddle with your passenger.

(Surprisingly) empty M25. Slow car in Lane 2 - should have been in Lane 1 as there was nothing in front - I start overtaking in Lane 3. Other car just drifts into my lane and clips my car. I end up in the central reservation. Other car just carries on. (He must have felt the impact?!)

Motorway closed to "rescue" us. Sorry everyone!

Thankfully we just walked away but it was the most terrifying moment of my life.

I do a lot of motorway driving - I'd say it's because the standard of driving has got worse. A lot more wandering over the lines - usually when you pass them they are on the phone. Not leaving enough time to overtake (as per the Highway Code) but instead making last minute darts out into traffic, often without indicating. Driving like they are playing a video game - fast, darting in and out of traffic when there isn't room to do so.
I regularly find myself driving past Bluewater London-bound in rush hour. First dealing with drivers who leave it late to move out of the left lane to continue on the A2. Then the drivers jumping out into the second lane, so that they can re-join the left (exit) lane further along and save a split second on their precious journey. Then you go past and have the fun of people joining the A2 without looking to see if there is a space for them. Others leaving it to the last minute to move into the left lane for the Dartford crossing. Jumping in and out of that lane to gain what they think is an advantage... Don't they realise they are risking their lives and others?
Lack of attention and too much risk taking seem to be the main problems. Defensive driving is good driving now I think.

Obviously useless drivers not paying attention and following too close

At 70mph, stopping distance is about 100m when you include reaction time and physical braking time. Cars are getting bigger and heavier.

People drive much closer than 100m to the vehicle in front. So any issues, and it is hard to avoid.

Cars are also much wider now - an SUV really fill the lane so no space for error.

Added to that, the plague of people using their phones while driving. Either in their hand or in a cradle - it doesn't matter, it's still distraction.

Many road deaths are avoidable if traffic laws were followed but we allow terrible, unsafe drivers to continue to drive when they have repeatedly proved how unsafe they are. Plus the punishment for driving without a license is far too weak.

Over confidence. Aggression and impatience..

I drive the motorway a lot, and I refuse to use cruise control. My car has enough bells and whistles that it won't stray across lanes, will correct itself if it does, keeps equidistant from the car infront by braking or speeding up as appropriate and in cruise you could, in theory, just point it in the right direction and leave it to it.

However, I never do. I need to feel in control of my driving, it keeps me alert and focused. I think too many rely on the cars ability to drive, rather than their own driving.

Mostly what I see is drivers aggressively tail gating. Like they think they have more right to that lane than the person ahead of them.

There is a show on BBC Iplayer called Crash Detectives. Terrifying, shows how bad drivers are and the fate consequences..

Aggressive drivers and then those who are just fucking oblivious to anything going on around them. You only have to do a short journey to see idiots over and undertaking and then absolute morons sat opened mouthed in overtaking lanes when there's nothing to overtake.

Bloody hell @CormorantStrikesBack thats some ‘final destination’ shit! I’m glad you’re ok

black ice

For many years I've spent about 3 hours a day driving on the M4 and M25. I'm pretty sure its not related to the speed limit - there are so many cameras now. But the motorways seems so much busier, even when I set off at the ungodly hour of 6am each morning. Cars in the outside lane doing 70mph but so close to the car in front - much smaller margins of error than there was. Plus the fact that modern cars have cruise control, lane assist, steering assist, etc - as other have said, I think people are just not concentrating.

Every time I use the motorway I see numerous twats on their phones and quite a few really aggressive drivers who cut people up across multiple lanes to get to an exit at the last second, loads of tailgating. It’s a surprise to me there aren’t more crashes considering how badly many people drive.

Non driving activities, such a texting, calling, switching music, eating, reaching out for water bottle, ...

This is very true.

A good practice I was taught is cycle through what you are looking at:

• a long way into the distance
• middle distance
• close
• mirrors
• and repeat continuously

Include the mirrors even if you are not planning a manoeuvre, as then you know what's likely around you if you need to take emergency action.

Taught on a days coaching with RegLocal (see https://youtube.com/@RegLocal?si=zx-ms3Kgqdk7JqYh for his channel and for motorway driving tips )