Nearly half (44%) of of those who hold full UK driving licences have forgotten the meaning of common UK road signs

Uswitch’s survey highlighted that almost 3 in 4 men feel confident in their knowledge and understanding of common UK road signs, compared to 2 in 4 women. Despite this, women scored higher than men when it came to questions about cyclist priority and speed limits.

Half of British drivers fail to understand speeding signs according to survey and GOV statistics 

Our survey highlighted that 33% of British drivers thought the sign for ‘end of minimum speed limit’ meant that it was the ‘maximum speed limit’ or ‘that it was the minimum speed limit’. According to GOV UK statistics from January – March 2021, 50% of cars exceeded the speed limit whilst on the motorway, and 56% of cars exceeded the speed limit in 30mph zones.

1 in 5 don’t know who has priority at a T-junction 

When asking the meaning of the UK road sign which showed that cars had ‘priority over drivers from the right’, only 36% of people managed to answer the question correctly. 20% of people thought the opposite, and 19% thought it meant ‘approaching a junction with a dual carriageway’.

Over a quarter of drivers don’t know when they need to look out for a zebra crossing

Driving etiquette and road crossing knowledge is one of the most important things when it comes to driving. With zebra crossings being a universal way to let pedestrians cross, a staggering 27% of people thought this meant there were pedestrians walking alongside the road, and 31% thought they would be met with traffic lights before they needed to stop.

1 in 10 drivers think emergency diversion route means the sign for services 

Only a quarter (26%) of people knew what an emergency diversion route sign meant, with 46% of people stating they had no clue, and 11% of people worryingly thinking it meant the sign for services.

1 in 5 cyclists at risk due to driver ignorance

We asked drivers what they thought the ‘cycle route ahead’ (displayed along the road) sign meant, of which 48% answered correctly, but 20% of people thought it meant ‘no cyclists allowed’. According to GOV UK, around 16,884 pedal cyclists accidents happen in the UK per year, and with more bikes on the road this lack of knowledge could have serious implications.

Uswitch’s car insurance expert Joel Kempson advises: 

“Everyone can benefit from brushing up on their driving knowledge, both in and out of the car. As driving test regulations have changed since 1973, those aged 48+ could see a significant benefit in some catch-up work.

We would advise looking through the GOV UK highway code every once in a while to make sure you still know what you would have learned for your driving test. Road signs can vary across the country, so it is also important to check that your driving knowledge covers the whole of the UK.”