Millions of drivers have been forced onto some of the most dangerous roads in the UK as traffic jams on motorways and major routes worsen, new research has found.
Safety charity IAM RoadSmart revealed that more than half of motorists have taken unexpected detours onto country roads after getting stuck in congestion on major roads.
The study found that 54 per cent of drivers have used rural routes in the past year after facing delays on motorways, dual carriageways and A-roads.
It comes as rural roads remain the deadliest roads in the UK, accounting for around six out of 10 road deaths despite carrying less than half of all traffic.
IAM RoadSmart said growing congestion is pushing more drivers onto unfamiliar roads where risks are greater.
The research also found that sat nav systems are playing a major role, with 42 per cent of motorists saying their navigation devices had redirected them from major roads onto country lanes during a journey.
Road closures are having an even bigger impact, with almost two-thirds of drivers saying they have been forced to change their route and use rural roads instead.
Country roads were found to be responsible for six out of 10 fatalities
|GETTY
Average delays on the strategic road network rose from 8.6 seconds per vehicle in 2015 to 11.2 seconds by 2025.
The amount of travel on UK roads is also close to record levels, with vehicles travelling almost 338 billion miles in the year to September 2025, nearing pre-pandemic highs.
However, IAM RoadSmart warned that unless more capacity is added to the wider road network, congestion is likely to continue increasing, with drivers more likely to be diverted onto rural roads.
Country roads often present new risks, including farm vehicles, wildlife crossing the road, narrow lanes and poor visibility caused by hedges and vegetation.
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| OFFICE OF RAIL AND ROADMany rural roads also lack pavements and dedicated cycle lanes, putting pedestrians and cyclists at greater risk when traffic levels increase.
A survey of IAM RoadSmart motorcycle members found that 72 per cent had seen an oncoming vehicle drift into the middle of the road while approaching a bend in the last year.
Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and external communications at IAM RoadSmart, warned that more motorists are ending up on roads where the risks are much greater.
He said: "Every year, more people are killed on a rural road than any other road type, yet worryingly we're seeing a high number of people taking unplanned diversions to use them.
Sat navs have come under fire for pushing drivers onto country roads to avoid congestion
| PA"Drivers should ask themselves whether shaving off a few minutes from a journey by diverting onto unclassified roads or even single-track roads is worth the additional risk."
He also warned that sat nav systems can make congestion worse by sending large numbers of vehicles onto roads that were never designed to handle such traffic.
The charity has now urged motorists to take extra care when driving on rural roads and to avoid relying solely on sat nav directions when planning journeys.
"Traffic growth shows little sign of abating, yet without a commitment to increase capacity on the wider strategic network, we may see more traffic filtering onto the rural road network, with potentially grave consequences," Mr Lyes added.
A Department for Transport spokesperson told GB News: "We want drivers to avoid harm on all our roads wherever they choose to travel, and our new Road Safety Strategy, the first in over a decade, has consulted on a number of measures to save thousands of lives over the next decade."