School run warning issued to parents as most dangerous time to drive revealed

PARENTS have been issued a school run warning, as the most dangerous time to drive has been revealed.

An insurance expert has revealed a dramatic rise in accidents during the hours around school time.

GettyAn insurance expert revealed that school runs hours were the most dangerous time to drive[/caption]

Lorna Connelly, Head of Claims at Admiral Insurance, advised parents to take more care during peak hours, as the firm’s data showed that around a quarter of school run claims involve a driver hitting the car in front of them in error.

Lorna said: “There’s no doubt that it can be a particularly frustrating time to be out on the roads with drivers facing more traffic, time pressures, and potential distraction from other passengers.

“But it’s vital to remain calm and drive carefully, particularly when more children are around, both as pedestrians and as passengers in other vehicles.

“When looking back over 8 years of claims data, the number of accidents reported to us which took place during the typical school run hours in term time (8-9am and 4-5pm), increased by 36% compared to the same time periods in the school holidays.

“At morning drop offs (8-9am), the increase was particularly high, with accidents up 68%.”

She emphasised the importance of being “attentive and patient” behind the wheel to help avoid these accidents.

The expert added: “Allowing extra time for your journey, being considerate of other road users and trying to avoid any confrontation can all help to make sure your school run goes smoothly.”

Admiral’s top tips for drivers during the school run

Allow extra time for your trip so time pressures and frustrations don’t cause simple mistakes.
Consider other motorists and pedestrians when parking your car, to ensure a flow of traffic can get through and pedestrians can pass safely on the pavement using prams, pushchairs, wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
Be attentive to cars directly in front of you and leave ample space to brake and react.
Relax and try to avoid road rage incidents. If another driver is being confrontational or aggressive, don’t make eye contact, don’t react and let them go on ahead.

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