A new national survey has revealed the scale of close calls on Britain’s roads, with 71% of drivers admitting they have experienced at least one near miss while behind the wheel.

The findings, published by temporary car-insurance provider Tempcover, come amid broader concerns about driver distraction, rising traffic volumes and increasingly complex road environments.

Look out

The poll of 2,000 motorists found that the average driver has almost three near misses a year, with nearly one in ten saying they have had six or more.

A near miss, defined as any incident that nearly resulted in a collision, can range from a vehicle suddenly braking in front to a pedestrian stepping into the road.

More than half of motorists (55%) blamed other drivers for their most recent close call, most commonly citing aggressive or risky driving such as dangerous overtakes or lane-weaving.

One in ten pinned the responsibility on cyclists or pedestrians, while 8% acknowledged they themselves were at fault.

Among drivers who admitted full responsibility, 38% said they were simply not paying enough attention.

A further 11% said the blame was shared, usually because of a misjudged junction or turn.

Across all respondents, the top causes of near misses were:

  • Aggressive or risky driving – 15%

  • Lack of attention – 14%

  • Misjudged junctions or turns – 11%

  • Poor weather – 7%

  • Speeding – 7%

  • Pedestrian stepping out unexpectedly – 6%

  • Poor road conditions – 5%

  • Cyclists ignoring road rules – 5%

  • Distracted driving – 4%

  • Cyclist swerving unexpectedly – 3%

Residential danger zone

The most common location for close calls was residential roads, cited by 32% of drivers.

These are areas with a high mix of vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and parked cars.

It follows that the daytime period between 10am and 4pm was when most near misses occurred.

While official collision data from the Department for Transport does not record near misses, road-safety groups have long warned that close calls are a leading indicator of future crashes.

Studies by road-safety charities have shown that behaviours linked to near misses, such as distraction and following too closely, are consistently among the top contributory factors in actual collisions reported to police.

Lasting effects

For many, the emotional impact is significant.

A quarter of drivers (25%) said a near miss dented their confidence, while 38% were left shaken or frightened.

Others reported feeling annoyed or embarrassed.

Some motorists said the experience prompted safer habits:

  • 32% now pay more attention to the road

  • 20% became more mindful of their speed

  • 8% installed dashcams or new safety technology

More extreme responses included avoiding driving in bad weather (10%), steering clear of low-visibility conditions (9%), or, in rare cases, temporarily avoiding driving altogether.

Stay alert

Claire Wills-McKissick of Tempcover said the findings show how quickly conditions can change: “Near misses are a powerful reminder that even a momentary lapse in attention can have serious consequences.”

She advised motorists to minimise distractions, adjust their speed to conditions, stay especially alert in built-up areas and reflect on their own habits after any close call.

Defensive driving should be taught to, and practised by, all drivers.

It means the driver is always expecting the unexpected and drives accordingly, maintaining appropriate speeds, leaving more space from the vehicle in front, and remaining highly vigilant.

As the UK enters winter, a period typically associated with an uptick in collisions, road-safety campaigners say the message is clear: close calls shouldn’t be ignored.