While Irish drivers remain limited to county boarders, or a 20km limit, drivers in the UK have had no limit to mileage since May 11th. With many workers gradually taking to the UK roads again, traffic volumes have increased bringing a rapid rise in accidents and insurance claims.

Insurance claims in England have risen by 39% since the initial easing of lockdown, with many experts warning that out of practice drivers are causing accidents to spike.

Research by insurance firm Admiral found that 44% of drivers had never been more than a week without getting behind the wheel. Lorna Connelly, head of claims at Admiral, suggests this may be a contributing factor to the rising claims volume. She commented, “The increase can be attributed to a number of factors, including a general increase in traffic on the roads, motorists getting back behind the wheel after a sustained break from driving, pedestrians and cyclists who have been taking advantage of quieter roads being unprepared for increased traffic, and some drivers taking unnecessary risks with excessive speed.”