MORI Radar Detector Survey - May 2001
This document represents a brief summary of the findings of a survey of users and non-users of radar detectors conducted by MORI in Great Britain on behalf of the Driver's Technology Association.

The purpose of this survey was to provide accurate information on the driving behaviour and attitudes towards in-car radar detectors among users and non-users of such devices.

The survey focused on the following areas:

• Car Ownership
• Total and business mileage
• Number of accidents
• Contributory factors to previous accidents
• Attitudes towards speed and the use of speed cameras
• Use of radar detectors
• Driving behaviour since purchasing a radar detector.

Summary of Findings
Radar detector users are a very different type of driver to non-users, by average mileage, income and type of car driven.

Users are heavy drivers averaging almost twice the annual mileage (both total and business) of non-users of radar detectors interviewed in this survey.

Perhaps reflecting the higher average business mileage, a higher proportion of users tend to be in full-time employment (79% compared to 60% of non-users). Furthermore, users have a far higher average income (averaging £54,100 per year compared to £17,300 among non-users interviewd). They are also more likely to drive a higher performance car such as an Audi/VW, BMW or Mercedes and describe the area in which they live as the countryside rather than the town or city or a suburb.

Users appear to travel 50% further between accidents than non-users. In this survey the users interviewed travelled on average 217,353 miles between accidents compared to 143,401 miles between accidents of those non-users drawn randomly from the general public.
A similar proportion of users and non-users suggest speed (either their own or that of other drivers) was a contributory factor in their last accident, although a marginally higher proportion of users indicated that speed was a 'significant' factor.

Three in five users and non-users express that another driver was at fault in their last accident. A slightly higher proportion of users (29% vrs 24%) indicates that they were responsible for their last accident.
Half of detector users (compared to 43% of non-users) agree they are not always aware of the speed limit, although three-quarters of detector users indicated that they are more aware of the speed limit in the areas in which they are driving since purchasing a radar detector.

Users appear to be more cynical about the purpose of speed cameras. Three quarters agree with the statement 'speed cameras are only used to raise revenue' and less than one in five agree that speed cameras are only positioned at accident black spots. This contrasts with non-users, among whom, just over a third agree that cameras are only used to raise revenue and over a quarter who agree cameras are only positioned at accident black spots.

In addition, while three in five non-users feel people in general drive too fast, under half of users feel the same. Almost all users agree that the motorway speed limit should be raised to 80 miles per hour compared to only half of non-users.

Despite attitudes towards speed limits, radar detector users feel that purchasing a detector has had a possitive effect on their driving behaviour. Three-quarters agree, perhaps unsurprisingly, that since purchasing a radar detector they have become more conscious about keeping to the speed limit and that they have become more speed aware generally. Three in five radar detector users claim to have become a safer driver since purchasing a detector.