Click here for details of survey methodology.

Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

Choosing a new vehicle

Q1 Which of the following do you consider most important when choosing a new vehicle, aside from its cost? Drivers were asked to select their top three factors.

Build quality and reliability

Versatility and utility

Power and performance

Fuel economy

Safety features

Brand

Entertainment /infotainment systems

Environmental impact

1

56%

18%

22%

30%

26%

31%

10%

16%

2

23%

42%

40%

41%

38%

25%

24%

30%

3

21%

39%

38%

30%

38%

44%

66%

54%
Q2 When choosing a new vehicle, how important is the safety rating to you? (1=Not important at all, 5=Very important)

1

0.9%

2

2.0%

3

10.3%

4

30.5%

5

56.4%

Gender breakdown

Q2 When choosing a new vehicle, how important is the safety rating to you? (1=Not important at all, 5=Very important)

Male

Female

1

1.1%

0.4%

2

2.7%

1.2%

3

12.5%

7.8%

4

36.1%

24.4%

5

47.7%

66.1%

Safety features in vehicles

Q3 Do you know what safety features you have in your car?

I don’t know what safety features my car has

6.7%

Not sure

11.4%

Yes, I know some of them

51.3%

Yes, I know all of them

30.6%

Q3b Does your car have any of these safety features?

Intelligent speed assistance (driver alert or reduction in speed)

34.8%

Reversing detection with camera or sensors (rear camera or sensor)

63.2%

Attention warning in case of driver drowsiness (monitor and alert)

23.9%

Emergency stop signal (alert driver behind if brake sharply)

30.4%

Lane-keeping assistance (alert or steering adjust)

36.2%

Advanced emergency braking (automatically break in likely collision)

31.1%

Event data recorders ('black box' to record driving information)

10.7%

None of the above

18.9%

Breakdown by household income

Q3b Does your car have any of these safety features?

Below £10,000

£10,000 to £24,999

£25,000 to £49,999

£50,000 to £74,999

£75,000 to £99,999

£100,000 or more

Intelligent speed assistance (driver alert or reduction in speed)

24.9%

26.3%

30.6%

39.9%

42.5%

55.4%

Reversing detection with camera or sensors (rear camera or sensor)

45.7%

49.1%

63.6%

65.6%

71.3%

76.8%

Attention warning in case of driver drowsiness (monitor and alert)

11.4%

17.2%

21.4%

27.3%

37.5%

32.6%

Emergency stop signal (alert driver behind if brake sharply)

20.5%

18.8%

25.7%

35.7%

45.3%

52.1%

Lane-keeping assistance (alert or steering adjust)

19.9%

26.7%

37.1%

36.8%

45.2%

47.8%

Advanced emergency braking (automatically break in likely collision)

15.5%

21.7%

29.0%

35.8%

38.8%

46.0%

Event data recorders ('black box' to record driving information)

6.2%

8.8%

8.5%

11.5%

12.1%

22.5%

None of the above

40.4%

32.5%

19.2%

15.0%

6.3%

5.6%
Q4 Does your insurance policy require you to keep any safety features in your car switched on?

Yes

24.1%

No

43.0%

I’m not sure

32.9%

Q5a Do you understand what all these safety features do?

No, none of them

4.3%

Yes, a few of them

14.0%

Yes, most of them

44.8%

Yes, all of them

36.9%

Q5b Would you feel confident about using these safety features if you had them in your car?

No, none of them

4.5%

Yes, a few of them

17.4%

Yes, most of them

43.2%

Yes, all of them

34.9%

Are drivers using the safety features in their cars?

Q6a Have you switched off any of these safety features?

Intelligent speed assistance (driver alert or reduction in speed)

10.9%

Reversing detection with camera or sensors (rear camera or sensor)

9.1%

Attention warning in case of driver drowsiness (monitor and alert)

7.4%

Emergency stop signal (alert driver behind if brake sharply)

7.5%

Lane-keeping assistance (alert or steering adjust)

10.3%

Advanced emergency braking (automatically break in likely collision)

5.7%

Event data recorders ('black box' to record driving information)

1.9%

I am not sure

4.5%

No, I haven't switched off any of the safety features in my car

65.0%

Q6b You said you had turned off the Intelligent speed assistance (driver alert or reduction in speed) safety feature in your car

Valid Cases

167

I found it annoying

43.5%

I don’t think it will make me safer

31.3%

I don’t understand what it does

13.8%

Another reason

18.2%

I don’t know why

8.2%

Q6b You said you had turned off the Reversing detection with camera or sensors (rear camera or sensor) safety feature in your car

Valid Cases

139

I found it annoying

29.1%

I don’t think it will make me safer

41.5%

I don’t understand what it does

20.3%

Another reason

18.3%

I don’t know why

5.2%

Q6b You said you had turned off the Attention warning in case of driver drowsiness (monitor and alert) safety feature in your car

Valid Cases

113

I found it annoying

31.6%

I don’t think it will make me safer

36.3%

I don’t understand what it does

28.1%

Another reason

16.7%

I don’t know why

6.4%
Q6b You said you had turned off the Emergency stop signal (alert driver behind if brake sharply) safety feature in your car

Valid Cases

114

I found it annoying

32.0%

I don’t think it will make me safer

37.9%

I don’t understand what it does

14.9%

Another reason

17.8%

I don’t know why

8.7%

Q6b You said you had turned off the Lane-keeping assistance (alert or steering adjust) safety feature in your car

Valid Cases

157

I found it annoying

60.1%

I don’t think it will make me safer

23.2%

I don’t understand what it does

11.1%

Another reason

18.0%

I don’t know why

5.3%

Q6b You said you had turned off the Advanced emergency braking (automatically break in likely collision) safety feature in your car

Valid Cases

87

I found it annoying

35.7%

I don’t think it will make me safer

33.4%

I don’t understand what it does

18.2%

Another reason

21.2%

I don’t know why

7.9%

Q6b You said you had turned off the Event data recorders ('black box' to record driving information) safety feature in your car

Valid Cases

29

I found it annoying

41.4%

I don’t think it will make me safer

29.7%

I don’t understand what it does

9.2%

Another reason

25.8%

I don’t know why

10.2%

Q7 Which of the following reasons would most encourage you to keep the safety features in your car switched on? Please rank from 1 (most encourage) to 4 (least encourage).

Lower insurance premiums

Less severe penalties if I am involved in a crash

Knowing that I’m safer on the roads

Protecting my passengers if there’s a crash

1

27%

10%

47%

15%

2

14%

13%

28%

45%

3

34%

25%

14%

27%

4

25%

52%

11%

13%

Future choices

Q8 Which of the following safety features would you want to have on your next car?

Intelligent speed assistance (speed limit alert)

52.1%

Reversing detection with camera or sensors (rear camera or sensor)

72.0%

Attention warning in case of driver drowsiness (monitor and alert)

50.2%

Emergency stop signal (alert driver behind if brake sharply)

56.1%

Lane-keeping assistance (alert or steering adjust)

48.9%

Advanced emergency braking (automatically break in likely collision)

57.1%

Event data recorders ('blackbox' to record driving information)

29.9%

None of the above

5.0%

Breakdown by age

Q8 Which of the following safety features would you want to have on your next car?

Total

17-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65-74

75 or older

Intelligent speed assistance (speed limit alert)

52.1%

43.5%

54.6%

52.3%

46.2%

52.6%

56.6%

58.6%

Reversing detection with camera or sensors (rear camera or sensor)

72.0%

52.2%

54.6%

63.3%

73.6%

84.4%

86.8%

75.2%

Attention warning in case of driver drowsiness (monitor and alert)

50.2%

48.0%

48.6%

55.4%

44.4%

49.9%

53.1%

53.0%

Emergency stop signal (alert driver behind if brake sharply)

56.1%

46.7%

51.4%

58.7%

53.4%

58.7%

60.6%

58.1%

Lane-keeping assistance (alert or steering adjust)

48.9%

39.4%

49.1%

44.3%

48.6%

52.3%

52.4%

53.7%

Advanced emergency braking (automatically break in likely collision)

57.1%

37.8%

48.4%

51.0%

55.2%

65.1%

68.5%

68.1%

Event data recorders ('black box' to record driving information)

29.9%

21.7%

31.5%

24.0%

24.6%

34.7%

35.1%

42.0%

None of the above

5.0%

3.6%

4.3%

3.4%

7.7%

5.1%

4.0%

8.8%
Q9 Would you be willing to pay more for a car with safety features that:

Protect people inside the car (e.g. driver and passengers)

Yes

65.8%

No

20.6%

I don’t know

13.6%

Breakdown by age

Q9 Would you be willing to pay more for a car with safety features that:
Protect people inside the car (e.g. driver and passengers)

17-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65-74

75 or older

Yes

88.5%

82.8%

78.3%

63.0%

56.7%

49.0%

47.8%

No

5.5%

9.1%

13.3%

23.7%

26.7%

31.9%

22.9%

I don’t know

5.9%

8.1%

8.4%

13.3%

16.7%

19.2%

29.3%
Q9 Would you be willing to pay more for a car with safety features that:
Protect people outside the car (e.g. pedestrians and cyclists)

Yes

51.2%

No

28.7%

I don’t know

20.1%

Breakdown by age

Q9 Would you be willing to pay more for a car with safety features that:
Protect people outside the car (e.g. pedestrians and cyclists)

17-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65-74

75 or older

Yes

74.7%

67.5%

64.0%

45.8%

42.1%

37.3%

31.3%

No

17.1%

20.0%

22.1%

33.7%

32.1%

36.7%

30.8%

I don’t know

8.2%

12.4%

13.9%

20.5%

25.8%

26.1%

38.0%
Q10 If you had these safety features fitted in your car, how do you think that would make you feel?

Intelligent speed assistance (speed limit alert)

Reversing detection with camera or sensors (rear camera or sensor)

Attention warning in case of driver drowsiness (monitor and alert)

Emergency stop signal (alert driver behind if brake sharply)

Lane-keeping assistance (alert or steering adjust)

Advanced emergency braking (automatically break in likely collision)

Event data recorders ('blackbox' to record driving information)

Much less safe

5.2%

2.6%

3.0%

3.3%

4.4%

3.8%

4.7%

A little less safe

4.8%

4.1%

3.9%

4.6%

5.9%

5.2%

4.3%

Neither safer nor less safe

31.2%

19.1%

21.0%

20.0%

24.9%

15.2%

48.5%

A little safer

32.4%

36.3%

34.5%

36.9%

36.9%

30.7%

21.3%

Much safer

26.4%

37.9%

37.5%

35.2%

27.9%

45.1%

21.1%

Finding out more

Q11 How did you find out about the safety features in your car?

My driving instructor told me about safety features

17.9%

I read about safety features in my car handbook

51.7%

I learned about safety features from adverts and marketing brochures

23.2%

I was told about safety features when I bought my car

47.6%

I was told about safety features when I insured my car

9.9%

Another information source not listed here

8.8%

Not sure

4.3%

Q12 Who do you think should take most responsibility for ensuring drivers understand the safety features in cars?

Drivers

Vehicle manufacturers

Vehicle sellers

Insurers

Government

1

49%

31%

14%

3%

4%

2

14%

35%

34%

9%

8%

3

21%

22%

27%

17%

12%

4

9%

8%

14%

46%

24%

5

8%

4%

11%

25%

52%
Q12b Do you think driving instructors should be required to teach learner drivers about the safety features in cars?

Yes

79.1%

No

10.1%

I’m not sure

10.8%

Changing the law

Q13 Do think that these safety features should be mandatory for all new vehicles in the UK?

Intelligent speed assistance (speed limit alert)

Reversing detection with camera or sensors (rear camera or sensor)

Attention warning in case of driver drowsiness (monitor and alert)

Emergency stop signal (alert driver behind if brake sharply)

Lane-keeping assistance (alert or steering adjust)

Advanced emergency braking (automatically break in likely collision)

Event data recorders ('black box' to record driving information)

Yes

66.9%

69.4%

65.8%

67.2%

57.1%

68.2%

46.4%

No

21.4%

21.5%

19.5%

20.5%

28.5%

19.8%

34.0%

I don’t know

11.7%

9.1%

14.7%

12.3%

14.4%

12.0%

19.6%
Q14 Which of the following statements do you most agree with?

Drivers should be able to select which safety features to use in their vehicle

56.4%

Safety features should be embedded in the vehicle, with no option for drivers to turn them off

43.6%
Q15 Which of the following reasons would be most likely to encourage you to support these safety features being mandatory for all new vehicles in the UK?

Improved safety

Improved traffic flow

Reduced emissions

Improved accessibility

Lower insurance premiums

1

66%

10%

7%

3%

15%

2

18%

24%

15%

16%

27%

3

8%

29%

20%

23%

20%

4

4%

23%

24%

31%

17%

5

4%

15%

33%

27%

21%

Survey methodology

The research was carried out by independent market research company SurveyGoo, which conducted an online survey among 2,016 respondents across the UK. The sample of adults was randomly selected from a survey panel and weighted to be representative of the UK population for age, gender and region. The margin of error, which measures sampling variability at the country level, was +/- 2.2% at 95% confidence limit.

Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. The research was conducted in March 2025.

Respondents were required to drive a car for personal or work use. Respondents who do not drive a car were not eligible to take part in the survey.