What will it take for drivers to cop on to the dangerous situations they create

Earlier this year – and we’re only into the second month – I bet myself I could go the whole of 2024 without bringing up the level of hand-held phone use in cars on the move – and how we still don’t know how to properly use roundabouts.

Recently, a driver in the lane next to me blatantly used her phone for a full three minutes on the approach road on to and on the M50 at Cherrywood.

Traffic was heavy but moving steadily.

I think that’s the most dangerous time on the motorway.

People either think they can relax and lose concentration or they can play the blackguard and tailgate, pushing people to move over.

This driver didn’t even bother to apologise when she pulled out of her inside lane and forced drivers of other cars to brake heavily to avoid an incident.

What does it take to get people to realise how precarious a situation they can propel themselves into in a matter of seconds?

Earlier I was nearly sideswiped by the driver of a Volkswagen Passat with a man at the wheel showing absolutely no care for his car, life, limb – nor those of others.

I’m not exaggerating when I say he bulldozed his way through traffic at twin-roundabouts.

I was on the outside lane going to drive straight through – in other words, exiting at 12 o’clock – when I saw him coming up on the inside lane.

You know when you get an instinct that all is not well?

He cut across the front of my car as if I wasn’t there and shooed away on the first exit – the nine o’clock exit.

I had to brake hard and steer on to the road I wasn’t taking to keep from being hit.

So I repeat: What does it take to get people to realise how precarious a situation they can propel themselves into in a matter of seconds?