Brits Dicing With Death 12 Times a Week
7th October 2014
The average Brit admits to putting themselves at risk 1.7 times a day, on average.
• More than one in ten people (11%) admit to finding themselves in 5 or more potentially dangerous situations on a daily basis.
• Risky Brits are stepping out onto busy roads (47%), having near collisions with other motorists (39%) and slipping on wet floors (29%).
• Nearly two thirds of people (63%) admit that they don't have any financial cover in place should the worst happen
Brits are dicing with death up to 12 times on average per week1, just whilst carrying out their daily routines, according to new research from Confused.com.
The findings from the leading price comparison site reveal that nearly a third of Brits (32%) encounter life threatening risks on a daily basis, with the average Brit putting themselves at risk 1.7 times each day.
According to the study, the most common risks people experience daily include stepping out into busy roads in traffic (47%), having near collisions with other motorists (39%), slipping on wet floors (29%) and injuring themselves when cooking/preparing food (25%).
Other hazards littered throughout Brits' daily routine include falling down stairs (24%), tripping over a pet or animal (24%) and running for public transport (20%).
Riskiest Daily Activities:
• Crossing a busy road in traffic - 47%
• Nearly being hit by another vehicle when driving – 39%
• Nearly being hit by another vehicle when walking – 32%
• Slipping on a wet floor – 29%
• Injuring yourself whilst cooking/preparing food – 25%
For some Brits, their daily routine is even more dangerous than others, with more than one in ten people (11%) admitting to finding themselves in five or more potentially dangerous situations a day. In fact, 38% of Brits claim they have been in a situation that they would consider to be a near-death experience or close call.
And while the majority of people (55%) believe that their brush with death was in fact someone else's fault, some are happy to hold their hands up and admit they only have themselves to blame.
The research reveals that one in six people (16%) admit to being accident prone, with nearly a quarter of Brits (23%) having been hospitalised or requiring medical attention as a result of an accident.
Yet worryingly, nearly two thirds of people (63%) admit that they don't have any financial cover in place to provide for their family or loved ones in the event of their death. Of those without financial cover, the majority are failing to do so because they claim they can't afford it (44%). But with a life insurance policy costing from as little as £5 a month2, getting yourself covered is certainly something to consider.
To help raise awareness around the importance of life insurance and the daily dangers that people may face, Confused.com have produced a series of interactive videos. Viewers are challenged to make it safely through the day by choosing the safest possible option for them.
The viewer is initially shown a scenario, and then has to choose from two options to select how the person on screen should continue their day. If they select the 'correct' answer the viewer will continue on to the next video scenario, where they are faced with another decision. However, the 'wrong' option will send them back to the beginning and they'll have to start the sequence again, this time looking for the correct option.
The videos enforce the point that nobody knows what's going to happen to them on a daily basis, be it choking on a piece of toast, or tripping over a pile of dirty laundry.
Matt Lloyd, Head of Life Insurance at Confused.com comments: "Many people probably don't realise that the simple things they do as part of their daily routine could potentially be dangerous. This research isn't designed to scare people but to highlight the everyday risks we face. It's quite alarming that 63% of people don't have any financial fall-back for their loved ones if they died."
“Unfortunately, we can't predict the future. We don't know what may happen from one day to the next. The benefit of life insurance is peace of mind for you, and financial protection for your family – knowing your family can support themselves, and still have a quality of life when you're no longer around.”
“A life insurance premium can start from as little as £52 per month. And with the help of Confused.com, customers could get a good deal by comparing a wide range of leading UK life insurance providers.”
