Roads to get safety rating

Roads are to be given a star rating so drivers can tell at a glance how dangerous they are.

More than 11,000 miles of UK motorways, major roads and country lanes are being analysed and graded. The safest stretches will be awarded four stars, while black spots will get just one or even zero stars. Roads will win stars for having few head on crashes, or for giving drivers a good line of sight as they turn right out of junctions.

Other plus points include having bollards or lines which prevent cars overtaking on single lane carriageways, or safety measures to ensure drivers who lose control of their cars are not at risk of hitting trees or posts. Further stars will go to roads that use barriers to stop cars from rolling down steep embankments following an accident.

Once the grading is finished the star ratings will go on maps and roadside signs.

The Road Protection Scoring (RPS) scheme has been devised by the European Road Assessment Programme and backed by the AA and the Highways Agency.

The AA's Bert Morris said: "The scheme sets the benchmark at the level of average drivers who follow the rules of the road but make mistakes. RPS shows how well a road will forgive, or how badly it will punish an ordinary driver's error. The primary function is not to safeguard those who go hell for leather."

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