How much time do drivers waste on road delays every year?

According to new research, drivers waste an average of 38 hours on road delays every year in England.

This is the equivalent to over 2,200 minutes or 136,000 seconds stick behind the wheel due to various issues on the roads.

The study used Department for Transport (DfT) figures on the average road delay per vehicle mile and DVLA mileage data from 2022 to work out how much time is lost annually.

This was then applied to the estimated number of licensed vehicles in the country to discover how long each driver spends going nowhere over 12 months.

The calculations, produced by Go.Compare, analysed delays on both the strategic road network (including major motorways and A-roads) and on local A-roads.

Interestingly, the data found that that most hours are lost on local A-roads.

Overall, each driver loses an average of 31 hours to delays on local authority motorways and A-roads every year.

Meanwhile, an average of over six hours are wasted by each motorist on the strategic road network of motorways and A-roads managed by National Highways, equivalent to just under 400 minutes and 24,000 seconds.

In total, this means each driver lost a day and a half due to delays in 2022.

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Alice Simpson, breakdown spokesperson at the RAC, attributes road delays to high volumes of traffic, saying: “While we’re pleased National Highways has removed the majority of roadworks from high-speed roads, which are often the busiest routes, the sheer number of drivers means there’s an increased risk of breakdowns which can, in turn, lead to delays.”

Simpson also advised drivers to prepare for delays on long trips: “We urge motorists to be prepared for longer journeys before they set out by checking their car’s oil and coolant levels and packing items they might need if they are unlucky enough to break down.

“Essentials include extra warm, waterproof layers, sturdy footwear, some food and drink and a fully charged mobile phone with an extra power bank to keep it topped up.”

Overall, the total amount of time lost to delays by all drivers during a year is 55 million days, equal to 1.3 billion hours.

What do you make of the figures? Have you noticed road delays getting worse in England? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.