Britains most accident-prone street made safe with bubble wrap

January 27, 2010

The most accident-prone street in Britain has been given the ultimate safety blanket – 1,500 sq metres of bubble wrap. Cars, gates, bins, lamp posts, and even garden gnomes were wrapped in the cushioning film to highlight the dangers of driving in winter. According to a car insurance comparison website, homes in Somerville Road, Worcester, generate the highest number of accident claims in the whole of the UK.

The street, which has been dubbed ‘Accident Avenue’, has had around ten claims a year for ten years, which for a small street, made residents the most accident-prone drivers in the country. The stunt was set up by Confused.com and took eight men more than 12 hours to complete. One Somerville Road resident, who did not wish to be named, said it was a shock to see all the houses wrapped up.

He said: ‘I live just up from the houses that were wrapped up so the sight of them all covered up took me a bit by surprise. ‘They have wrapped absolutely everything in plastic – it looks very striking, ‘I think it is a really amusing idea, although I don’t know how long it will be until someone starts

Will Thomas said it was important to warn drivers about the dangerous conditions brought on by the recent cold snap. ‘The recent freezing temperatures have turned roads across the country into a treacherous territory and with the unsettled weather expected to continue, motor insurance is expected to soar,’ he said.

‘In times of need we bubble wrap all our little breakables to keep them safe and sound – so why not a whole street?’

It is also bubble wrap’s 50th birthday this week, which will be celebrated with the tenth annual ‘Bubblewrap Appreciation Day’.

Posted in: Packing & Packaging