Lane-Change Crash Rise Linked to Distracted Driving

Lane-change collisions in the U.K. jumped 29.5% in the past four years, and accident experts blame distracted driving.

Research by Accident Exchange, part of the Automotive and Insurance Solutions Group, shows collisions in which a vehicle is struck or sideswiped by another moving into a different lane increased from 5.5% of all incidents recorded in 2010 to 7.2% this year.

Lane-change collisions now account for one in 14 accidents.

Liz Fisher, director-sales development at Accident Exchange, says the increase in lane-change errors can be linked to the rise of the smartphone and in-car connectivity. Using a cell phone at the wheel slows reaction time about 50% and quadruples the likelihood of having an accident.

“We have seen steady growth in the number of accidents resulting from errors made when changing lanes,” Fisher says in a statement.

“Lane changes demand a driver’s full attention and swift reactions, but too many drivers are diverting their focus from the road and putting themselves – and other road users – at risk.”

Fisher says time spent using a cellphone or hastily following instructions from a satellite-navigation system can prevent a driver from making the necessary checks before merging into the next lane.

The increasing number of accidents is happening despite growth in crash-avoidance technology. Toyota, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Volvo and Nissan are among manufacturers to develop features such as autonomous braking and systems that detect drivers who are at risk of wandering into another lane.

U.K. law decrees drivers who misjudge a space and strike moving traffic when they enter a lane always are considered to be at fault.