Bad drivers are main cause of road accidents in Doncaster, study reveals

The figures, from Department for Transport, list contributory factors for accidents, as recorded by police.

There are 78 different factors for officers to choose from.

The driver or rider failing to look properly contributed to 160 accidents last year.

The second most common cause was the driver or rider failing to judge another vehicle's speed, which occurred in 130 incidents in the borough.

An accident is registered when at least one person suffers a slight injury in an incident with a vehicle.

The injury does not have to involve cars. It could be a bike colliding with a pedestrian, or someone falling over while cycling.

RAC road safety spokesman, Pete Williams, said: "More people lose their lives and are injured on Britain's roads in accidents caused by driver or rider error than for any other reason.

"Last year nearly two thirds of the fatalities on our roads were put down to mistakes. The two biggest driving errors that led to the most deaths and accidents were losing control of a vehicle and failing to look properly.

"Sadly, the picture doesn't seem to be improving as these figures are fairly typical of recent years' data.'

Other common factors in Doncaster were the driver or rider being careless and reckless, the driver losing control and the driver being impaired by alcohol.

The figures also show the number of road casualties in the town.

There were 996 casualties in 2017, during which 11 people were killed and 199 seriously injured.

Mr Williams added: "While everyone makes mistakes while driving, motorists need to realise the potential consequences of losing focus on what is a complex and demanding task.

"There are, of course, plenty of accidents that are wholly avoidable and result from driver distractions or impairment such as drink, handheld mobile phone use and driver fatigue."