A recent study conducted by the AA has shown that the number of drivers feeling nervous or anxious while driving on smart motorways has doubled over the past year. Smart motorways utilize the hard shoulder as an additional lane to improve traffic flow, with a total of 396 miles of such roadways in England as of April 2024.
Critics argue that smart motorways are flawed, citing at least 79 fatalities on these roads between 2010 and 2024. Research indicates that breakdowns on motorways without a hard shoulder pose a significantly higher risk, with drivers being three times more likely to be killed or seriously injured compared to traditional roads with a consistent hard shoulder.
A survey involving 12,705 AA members revealed a significant increase in feelings of nervousness or anxiety on smart motorways without a hard shoulder, jumping from 23% to 46% in the past year. Even motorways where the hard shoulder is only operational during peak traffic times saw a rise in anxiety levels among drivers, increasing from 30% to 47% within the same period.
In April 2023, the government decided to halt the construction of new smart motorways due to concerns about driver confidence and financial constraints. The AA president, Edmund King, emphasized the importance of reinstating the hard shoulder in controlled motorway environments to restore trust among drivers.
The AA emphasized the necessity for more transparency and consistency in evaluating and monitoring motorway safety. Despite the suspension of new smart motorway projects, there is ambiguity surrounding the independent review process for existing smart motorways, prompting calls for immediate release of safety performance reports.
Mr. King stressed the urgency of publishing these safety reports to assess the effectiveness of smart motorways. The Department for Transport defended smart motorways as the safest roads in terms of fatalities or severe injuries, highlighting ongoing efforts to enhance safety standards through initiatives like increasing emergency refuge areas.
The Department also mentioned the implementation of the Road Safety Strategy as part of ongoing efforts to further improve road safety standards.