With all the rain we’ve been receiving, pedestrians are increasingly at risk of getting soaked if they walk on the side of a road.
In fact, more than 16 million of them were drenched by a passing car in the past year, according to researchers.
However, only one motorist was prosecuted over the same period for splashing a pedestrian.
Under the Road Traffic Act 1984, drivers can usually be fined £100 and given three penalty points for “careless and inconsiderate driving”.
This sum can be up to £5,000 if the act is the result of incompetence, selfishness, impatience or aggression.
The risk of flooding is not reserved for selfish drivers, adds a survey by roadside assistance company Green Flag.
More than 16 million people were drenched by a passing car last year, researchers say (File Image)
Water lingers on roads much longer than it should due to clogged drainage.
A review of council data reveals a 35 per cent increase in reports of blocked pipes and gullies between 2021 and 2023 – from 60,633 to 81,813.
Green Flag researchers found that a puddle hit at 40 mph creates a splash 10 feet (3.05 m) high, or 8 inches (20 cm) taller than a typical bus shelter. This can flood a person 4.22 meters away.
With the average UK carriageway less than 3m wide, pedestrians simply cannot avoid getting soaked if a vehicle is traveling at more than 20mph – even in puddles less than 10cm deep.
Katie Lomas, chief executive of Green Flag, said: “It is incredibly inconsiderate to splash a pedestrian while speeding through puddles.
“Our research shows that speed has a huge impact on the splash radius of a puddle, showing the importance of slowing down or, if safe, avoiding them altogether.”
Under the Road Traffic Act 1984, drivers can usually be fined £100 and given three penalty points for ‘careless and inconsiderate driving’ (File image)
“Drivers should always take extra care when there is water on the road, as this can cause accidents and damage their vehicles.”
Opinium’s survey of 2,000 adults across the UK, commissioned by Green Flag, found that if they were splashed, 32 per cent of Brits would respond with a rude gesture, while 32 per cent would shout.
Only nine percent said they would try to report the driver to the police.
But they are unlikely to have much luck.
A Freedom of Information request sent to police forces across the UK has revealed that only one driver has been prosecuted for splashing – in Lincolnshire.
The survey found that 13 percent of drivers said they would stop to avoid splashing someone and 28 percent said they would try to drive around a puddle.
Nearly four million drivers say they have had an accident or nearly crashed while trying to avoid a puddle.
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