A new survey has revealed that over half of UK motorists are worried about driving on Britain's roads.

A poll of 1,004 motorists by leading road safety charity IAM Roadsmart found that 60% of drivers felt this way.

In addition, 33% of those surveyed were most worried about travelling on a smart motorway, making this the road type that drivers are most concerned about.

This compares with the 6% of respondents who said they were worried about driving on a traditional motorway with a hard shoulder.

The Northern Echo: Motorways with a hard shoulder were seen as a worry for some drivers (PA)Motorways with a hard shoulder were seen as a worry for some drivers (PA) (Image: PA)

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart, said: “Our research has laid bare the staggering number of people who feel worried about driving on Britain’s roads. We would encourage drivers to do all they can to re-educate themselves, especially during National Road Victim Month this August, on how to navigate the unique challenges and considerations each road type presents.”

Additionally, some 14% of drivers stated that they were worried about driving on rural or single carriageway roads.

Greig added: “While statistics may well show that smart motorways have fewer fatal crashes than conventional motorways, our research shows that far too many drivers still don’t feel safe on them.

“Moving forward, it is vital that National Highways up their efforts to keep the public informed and continue to raise awareness of how to drive safely on smart motorways. It is also clear that awareness needs to be raised about the risks of rural roads.

“Far from being a pleasant drive in the countryside, these are the type of roads which can punish mistakes with death and injury.”