Posted by Freddy Morton
More than half of people think that motorists should be legally responsible for accidents with vulnerable road users, owners of van items have been told.
A poll by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) revealed that 58 per cent think that it is the driver that should be accountable in a collision between a car and a pedestrian or cyclist in pedestrian priority zones.
The findings aimed to assess the popularity of introducing Woonerfs, a Dutch concept which sees pedestrian priority zones designed to be used at walking pace, including by cars, in the UK.
Part of this design sees kerbs, signs and railings removed to give all road users equality.
Of the 4,000 people surveyed, some 48 per cent felt the concept would work in the UK, with just 27 per cent thinking it was a bad idea.
"Our poll reveals a surprisingly positive attitude towards better protection of cyclists and pedestrians, both in road layout and legal responsibility," said IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig.
A recent poll by the Department for Transport found that the number of pedestrians killed on the road has fallen as motorists slow down.
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