Drivers issued urgent Highway Code warning for rural roads as Britons risk serious incidents

Regional differences can be seen with Londoners most confident with driving on inner city roads, while people in Belfast prefer motorways and Welsh drivers the happiest on rural roads.

Rule 154 of the Highway Code calls on motorists to take extra care on country roads and reduce their speed at approaches to bends, as they can be sharper than they appear.

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It adds that drivers need to be aware of pedestrians, horse riders, cyclists, slow-moving farm vehicles or mud on the road surface.

There have also been calls from experts to make note of the dangerous conditions that can be seen, especially as stopping distances can be increased.

Rural roads may be more susceptible to hazards like flooding, broken branches and trees, and strong gusts of wind, especially if there is no tree coverage.

Andy Moody, founder and managing director of GoShorty, commented on the data which found that UK drivers are the most confident on rural roads.

He added: "Despite the fact that most fatal crashes occur on rural roads, Brits remain confident in their ability to navigate them."

He pointed to data which found that 10 times as many people die on rural roads than motorways, making them the most dangerous type of road to drive on.

It has been estimated that more than a quarter of drivers use rural roads every day, whereas just nine per cent of people use motorways every day.

Moody added: “It’s clear that Brits are typically confident behind the wheel, with only four per cent of the country citing a lack of confidence driving."

He urged motorists to always take care behind the wheel, regardless of their confidence level on any time of road.

Similarly, single-track roads which are only wide enough for one vehicle may have special passing places to help motorists navigate around other vehicles.

Rule 155 of the Highway Code instructs drivers to pull into a passing place on their left if another driver wants to overtake them. They can also wait opposite a passing place on their right.

It also calls on drivers to give way to road users coming uphill whenever they can and if necessary, reverse until they reach a passing place to let other vehicles pass.

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Drivers may also experience other, less common types of road users on the road including pedestrians, horse riders, horse-drawn carriages and cyclists.

When approaching these road users, drivers are advised to slow down and leave plenty of space, especially when passing pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.