Drivers are increasingly avoiding rural roads due to poor or missing road markings.

New research from the Road Safety Markings Association (RSMA) warns of growing safety concerns and economic impacts on countryside communities.

Along with the crumbling structure of UK roads and the pothole epidemic, it appears the nation’s A and B roads are disappearing.

Changing direction

The survey of 2,000 UK motorists found that one in five drivers (20%) now plan their routes at least once a week to avoid roads with inadequate markings.

Among younger drivers, the issue is even more pronounced, with 33% of under-35s doing so regularly, and 67% saying they have avoided such roads at some point in the past six months.

Modern technology, such as lane assist and even autonomous driving modes, also struggles without the white lines.

And with car sizes seemingly ever-increasing, the lack of guidance from road markings is making it ever more unsettling to drive on smaller, narrower roads.

In the country

Rural areas are bearing the brunt of deteriorating markings.

Almost half of drivers (45%) said they had avoided rural roads in the past six months due to visibility concerns, highlighting a significant shift in driving behaviour.

This is not just a safety issue; it is also affecting local economies.

More than a third (36%) of motorists reported choosing not to visit rural businesses over the same period because of poor visibility, a figure that rose sharply to 59% among drivers under 35.

The RSMA said the results show that something as simple as road markings can directly impact rural connectivity, commerce, and safety.

Poor visibility is a major factor behind driver anxiety.

The research found that 23% of drivers avoid certain roads at night at least once a week, increasing to 41% among those aged 18 to 24.

Many drivers say they feel less confident navigating unlit rural roads where markings are faded or missing, particularly on bends, in narrow lanes, or on unfamiliar routes.

By contrast, 73% of motorists said they feel safer on roads with clear edge lines, while 67% said they would be more willing to drive on rural roads at night if such markings were present.

Seeing the solution

The survey was conducted as part of the RSMA’s whitepaper, ‘No Margin for Error: How Edge Lines Impact Safety and Rural Economies’, which explores whether clearer road markings, particularly white edge lines, could improve safety.

Drivers appear to believe they can.

The research found that edge lines were seen as more effective than some other safety measures, with 51% saying they had a greater impact than reducing speed limits and 40% rating them above speed humps.

Despite this, the RSMA warns that markings are often overlooked in maintenance programmes, with funding typically prioritised for more visible issues such as potholes.

Cat’s eyes (reflective road studs) are another highly effective road safety guidance measure that is also suffering from inadequate maintenance.
 
Invented in the 1930s by Percy Shaw, they have been a vital, low-cost safety measure for decades, providing clear, retroreflective guidance, helping reduce accidents at night, in heavy fog, or during bad weather when traditional painted lane markings are obscured.

In areas where reflective road studs are widely installed, the overall road crash rate drops by 15% – 25%.

The installation of these studs has been shown to reduce lane-departure incidents by approximately 25%.

The findings add to the existing evidence that faded or missing road markings contribute to safety risks.

Previous studies have shown that many drivers experience confusion or near-misses when markings are unclear, particularly on higher-speed rural roads.

Without clear guidance, motorists may struggle to judge lane position, anticipate hazards or navigate junctions safely, problems that are magnified in poor weather or low-light conditions.

Calls for action

Rob Shearing, chief executive of the Road Safety Markings Association, said the results highlight a growing but easily addressable problem.

“Edge lines aren’t necessarily the first road safety solution that springs to mind for local authorities, but there is clearly a strong demand for them from drivers,” he said.

“These results show clearly that the absence of this critical visual deters people from driving on rural roads and roads at night, especially younger drivers.

“The next generation of drivers need to be confident in navigating any road at any time of the day, and it’s clear they currently aren’t.”

Shearing added that improving visibility is a relatively simple fix.

“Road markings should be refreshed regularly, with an emphasis on rural roads that are seeing the most avoidance from drivers,” he said.

“If we don’t do this, we will continue to see rural businesses impacted. We know local authorities are cash-strapped, but the cost of applying edge lines is far lower than that of other safety measures.

“If we are serious about maintaining road safety, saving businesses and, above all, lives, edge lines can no longer be overlooked.”

With more drivers actively avoiding certain routes, the RSMA warns that poor road markings are no longer just a maintenance issue but a wider road safety and economic concern, one that could worsen without urgent attention.