Almost one-in-five drivers (19%) say they have accidentally broken the speed limit after being unable to see a road sign obscured by overgrown foliage, according to research by the RAC.
The motoring organisation’s survey found that 94% of drivers had seen road signs covered by overhanging branches, trees or hedges, with 51% saying they frequently encountered signs in this condition.
Speed limit signs were among the most commonly obscured, alongside stop and give way signs.
The RAC says the problem has resulted in other potentially hazardous situations. Some 21% of drivers surveyed said they had missed a turn because of obscured signage, while 13% had been forced to brake sharply and 5% had accidentally ignored a give way sign.
Overgrown foliage can also affect visibility at junctions and roundabouts, with 80% of drivers reporting that it had made it difficult to safely pull out.
The RAC is urging homeowners to check whether vegetation growing on their property is encroaching onto public roads or pavements.
It says local authorities can serve homeowners with a notice requiring foliage to be removed within 14 days under Section 154 of the Highways Act 1980. If the work is not carried out, the authority can undertake it and recover the cost from the homeowner.
The RAC also points out that homeowners could face prosecution under Section 137 of the Highways Act for wilfully obstructing a highway.
RAC spokesperson Harriet Hernando said: “It’s concerning that so many drivers have broken the speed limit because they haven’t been able to see a road sign that has been obscured by foliage.”
She added that homeowners should check whether plants, branches or hedges on their property are affecting public roads or pavements, saying that keeping signs visible and pavements clear “goes a long way in ensuring the roads are safe for all”.
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