Vital road markings fading into history, warns RAC

20th January 2026

New RAC research has revealed that vital road markings are fading, increasing the risk of collisions and other dangerous road incidents.

The data found that 21% of drivers said that ‘most’ road markings in their local areas have disappeared, while 71% agreed that ‘some’ have.

Nearly three quarters (72%) said the issue has got worse in the last five years with 92% claiming it has made driving more dangerous.

Half of drivers said the lines in the middle of carriageways that separate traffic have faded away, 48% said arrows on roundabouts or junctions have disappeared while 44% reported that ‘give way’ markings have vanished.

Vital markings

Other markings that have disappeared include stop lines at junctions (41%), speed limit signs (36%), areas of hatching (29%), and bus or cycle lane markings (22%).

Meanwhile, separate RAC research identified faded road markings and poor drainage as the joint second biggest safety dangers (38%) with roads themselves, second only to potholes (80%).

Fading

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Drivers are widely reporting that road markings have been left to fade into obscurity, making roads less safe as a result.

“The problem appears to have got progressively worse as a majority of drivers say the visibility of markings has deteriorated in the last five years. And, while all painted lines are important, the fact that dividing lanes and even stop lines are disappearing is troubling.

“It’s frightening to think almost one-in-five of drivers have had a near-miss as a result of faded road markings and more than one-in-10 have overshot a junction. Leaving these most vital markings to just wear away makes no sense whatsoever. While there’s clearly a cost to maintaining them, the cost of letting them disappear doesn’t bear thinking about.”