How Safe are Britain's Roads?

Justin Rowlatt and Anita Rani explore how safe the roads and cars of Britain are and what can be done to cut casualties. Following government proposals to raise the speed limit to 80 miles per hour, Anita takes to the motorways with the police, whilst Justin hits the test track in a poorly maintained people carrier to see how safe it is in comparison to more modern cars. They also analyse accident black-spots with safety experts and meet survivors with extraordinary stories. Including a paralympian who survived a horrific head-on collision and a couple who saved lives during the M5 collision of 2011

Justin Rowlatt and Anita Rani explore how safe the roads and cars of Britain are and what can be done to cut casualties. Most accidents are caused by human error but what kinds of errors are the biggest killers on the roads? Anita Rani and Justin Rowlatt consider the dangers of mobile phones, how do they compare to alcohol consumption or lack of sleep? And are some people more prone to accidents than others? Research suggests men and women crash in different ways, likewise the young and the old. Justin and Anita get the scientists out of the lab to carry out tests on the Great British public. They use what they find out to examine current proposals: should we re-test the elderly or ban the young from driving with friends? The programme explores what's behind the statistics through access to unique video collection of drivers caught on camera during accidents and near misses, showing the errors as they happen - including Justin and Anita's own. Plus Anita gets behind the wheel of a car which drives itself. Could it eliminate accidents completely?