Research from the RAC has shown that existing junction boxes exhibit design flaws that may see drivers facing unjust fines if left unchanged. 

The markings, which are used at junctions to prevent gridlock, have been found to trap drivers through no fault of their own. Some have also been poorly maintained so that drivers will have difficulty seeing where the markings start and finish. 

Head of RAC roads policy, Nicholas Lyes, said: “junctions have been installed in completely the wrong places, boxes are larger than they should be and ones where buildings or street furniture obstruct drivers from seeing where boxes end, making it impossible to assess whether there is enough space beyond the junction for their vehicle to fit into.”

Surprisingly, there are no current legal requirements for authorities to meet standardised design criteria, which will prove problematic when the new enforcement law comes into practice. 

On the back of their findings, the RAC has appealed to the Government to improve its guidance on yellow box rules. They have called for changes to clarify the specific purpose of box junctions and to issue standard design regulations, maintenance guidance, and enforcement directives. 

Sam Wright, the chartered engineer for Transport for London, said: “The key design principle is that yellow boxes should be no bigger than is necessary to prevent vehicles obstructing through movements. They are not designed for, and serve no purpose in, situations where vehicles are travelling in the same direction.

“The second main condition is that drivers should have adequate visibility beyond the box to be able to make a clear judgement before entering it. It’s not just that drivers need to see the end of the box, they need to see that there is space beyond the box for their vehicle to fit without any part of it overhanging. In the case of a car that will be five to six metres. For larger vehicles, it will be up to 15 metres. 

“I think designers should have to take a car out in a rush hour to see if they can negotiate the box without stopping, before insisting that others do the same.”

Despite the potential pitfalls, the research showed that 57% of drivers are generally in favour of yellow box junction enforcement. However, these changes could result in confusion and poor outcomes for drivers, as well as a high number of appeals. 

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National Highways (previously Highways England) collaborated with Roadcare and Kier on a two-year, £685,000, international competition with the purpose of investigating new road marking products. 

The competition aimed to identify the most successful marking and removal technologies using three key stages: high-speed turntable testing, on-road testing, and removal trials. 

For removals, limited innovation was identified in testing. The current prevailing method, water-pressure blasting, was still found to be the most effective technique. 

Good-removal results, however, are limited to unpredictable variables – underlying surface quality, time, and individual operative skill. Improper removals can raise serious safety issues – leaving behind ghost markings and causing surface damage to roads. 

Test results for road marking technology identified significant developments to wet surface retroreflectivity. It was revealed wet night-time retroreflectivity could be increased to 50 millicandelas (mcd) from the current minimum standard of 35mcd.  

National Highways is likely to make some changes as the competition showed that despite the wide variety of marking technology, the same materials are often used. This universal approach ignores better value solutions, wet/dry weather variables and doesn’t take into account whether the markings are permanent, temporary, heavy or lightly trafficked. 

Stu McInroy, CEO of the Road Safety Markings Association (RSMA), is concerned with the methodology employed by the study. McInroy disputes the on-road positioning of the products during testing and implores that the report fails to reflect correct surface textures and vehicle speeds. He concludes that to make policy changes based on this study would be “irrational”. 

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The car insurance company praised younger drivers, stating that those aged between 18 and 24 were some of the safest. This is because they are more mindful of the risks that come with driving. 

As many as 92 percent of 18-24-year-olds surveyed said they were aware of which factors could impact their driving capabilities. Half of these participants also knew how adverse weather conditions could considerably reduce visibility behind the wheel and, consequently, cause hazards.

Richard Tucker, Founder of Rooster Insurance, said: “It’s all too easy to become a complacent driver as we gain more miles on the clock and trips around the UK.

“However, this is a dangerous trap for the more mature and experienced driver to fall into, becoming more and more unaware of potential driving dangers on the UK roads.”

Although, over a quarter of older motorists claim that they refresh their knowledge on the Highway Code every year. It is advised that this should continue, to ensure that all ages are up-to-speed with the varying dangers on the road.

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The government-owned company aims to ensure that motorists have the clearest possible directions while driving, in order to keep all road users as safe as possible.

Faded road markings can cause issues by confusing drivers who are following them. If the layout of the road changes, but previous markings are still visible, this can lead to accidents. Old lines can often be more visible in bright sunshine.

The current process of removing ghost markings can also damage the road surface, resulting in further necessary repairs and a higher backlog of work to be done.

Launched in conjunction with Roadcare and Kier, the £685,000 competition hopes to find an industry-leading solution to this problem within the global sector.

Highways England’s Innovation Director Paul Doney, said: “We were delighted with the response from existing suppliers and beyond, with some competitors even developing bespoke products. We are confident we will have some sustainable solutions to the challenges faced on road markings at the moment.”

The competition was financed through the £150m ring-fenced funds that Highways England offered for innovation projects. Real-life testing on motorways will be carried out until May 2021, when the final results will be analysed and shared within the industry. 

Highways England’s Chief Engineer, Mike Wilson, said: “By developing and using new and improved products and ways of working across the industry, lanes will be more distinct in roadworks and finished schemes will have clearer markings. All this will mean safer and better journeys for drivers.

‘Less damage to the road also means fewer potholes and less need for repairs that impact upon people’s journeys.”

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