Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart has issued an urgent plea for drivers to ignore satellite navigation diversions that reroute them onto unfamiliar rural roads to avoid traffic congestion. This warning follows a February survey of 1,042 motorists and 114 motorcyclists, which revealed that 54% of drivers are diverted onto country lanes to bypass major A-roads and motorways. The danger is underscored by 2024 Department for Transport figures showing that 60% of British road deaths occur on rural roads, despite these routes carrying only 45% of total traffic. Policy director Nicholas Lyes warned that narrow lanes, agricultural vehicles, and poor visibility create hazardous conditions, especially when high traffic volumes exceed road capacity. The charity further noted that the 2023 cancellation of smart motorway projects by Rishi Sunak limits capacity on strategic networks, increasing these risks.