UK Drivers Warned Of Simple Manoeuvre Causing Crashes

New data has revealed the riskiest driving manoeuvres to make on the road, with turning right in first place, accounting for an average of 21,347 collisions each year.

Car parts' marketplace Ovoko analysed road traffic accident data from the Department for Transport spanning 2013 to 2022 to identify the manoeuvres that result in the most collisions – as well as which prove most hazardous for different vehicle types.

Overall, turning right is the most dangerous manoeuvre to make on UK roads, as it’s responsible for an average of 21,347 reported road collisions each year.

Slowing or stopping is second as it results in 15,641 accidents annually, while being held up while waiting to go ranks third, resulting in 12,402 incidents yearly.

Also among the five riskiest manoeuvres for Brits is moving off from a stationary position and going ahead on a right-hand bend.

The ten riskiest manoeuvres to make on UK roads

	Manoeuvre	Average Yearly Collisions (All Vehicles)
1	Turning right	21,347
2	Slowing or stopping	15,641
3	Waiting to go - held up	12,402
4	Moving off	10,102
5	Going ahead right-hand bend	7,739
6	Turning left	7,527
7	Going ahead left-hand bend	6,700
8	Overtaking moving vehicle - offside	4,302
9	Waiting to turn right	3,170
10	Reversing	3,110

On the other end of the scale, the least risky manoeuvre for Brits came out as waiting to turn left, with just 1,065 average yearly collisions.

The riskiest manoeuvres can differ by vehicle, but for car drivers, turning right is also the most dangerous, with a yearly average of 17,749 collisions.

The second most dangerous manoeuvre is slowing or stopping, with an average of 12,204 incidents involving car drivers being due to this each year, and third is being held up while waiting to go, responsible for an average of 10,496 collisions per year.

For motorcyclists, overtaking a moving vehicle on the offside is the most dangerous manoeuvre, responsible for an average of 1,400 collisions involving motorbikes a year.

Slowing or stopping ranks second, resulting in a yearly average of 947 accidents involving motorcyclists, while the third most hazardous manoeuvre is going ahead on a left-hand bend, which causes an average of 866 incidents each year.

For pedal cyclists, the riskiest manoeuvre is turning right, as it causes an average of 971 collisions involving bicycles each year. Moving off is second, with 500 yearly accidents, while going ahead on a right-hand bend is third, at 438 collisions annually.

Slowing or stopping is named the most dangerous manoeuvre for buses or coaches, with an average of 677 accidents recorded each year due to this move.

In second is moving off, totalling a yearly average of 619 collisions involving a bus or coach, and being held up while waiting to go is third, with an average of 234 incidents a year recorded as a result.

The most dangerous manoeuvre for light goods vehicles, like vans or pick-up trucks, is turning right, accounting for 1,218 average collisions a year.

Meanwhile, slowing or stopping is the riskiest manoeuvre for heavy goods vehicles like lorries, as it causes an average of 349 accidents involving these each year.

The most dangerous manoeuvre for each vehicle type

Vehicle Type	Riskiest Manoeuvre	Average Yearly Collisions (Vehicle Type)
ALL	Turning right	21,347
Cars	Turning right	17,749
Motorcycles	Overtaking a moving vehicle offside	1,400
Bicycles	Turning right	971
Buses/Coaches	Slowing or stopping	677
Light Goods (Vans)	Turning right	1,218
Heavy Goods (Lorries)	Slowing or stopping	349

Commenting on the ranking, Vytas Palovis, VP of Growth at Ovoko said:
“Although drivers are familiar with the risks of being on the road – such as pedestrians, traffic, and weather conditions – making simple manoeuvres tend to be overlooked as a risk factor.

“As this data shows, basic manoeuvres tend to be the most dangerous, possibly because they are performed frequently and so, are treated with some complacency among drivers who presume they’re immune to a collision as a result.

“It’s also crucial to recognise which manoeuvres are more likely to result in a crash for certain vehicles. For example, collisions when moving off increase by 24% for buses or coaches compared to for cyclists, suggesting there’s a blind spot issue.

“Making sure you pay ample attention to what road users are doing, including yourself, is the best way to mitigate the chances of a collision – no matter how experienced or confident on the road you are.”

Research carried out by Ovoko