Most drivers said training on overtaking lorries was welcome

Direct Line said this had led to a rise in accidents involving heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and said tests should include education on motorway driving.

Its survey of 2,098 drivers found 18% rushed to overtake lorries because they felt intimidated and 39% felt stressed overtaking HGVs on motorways.

The AA Motoring Trust said drivers needed a better understanding of HGVs.

The trust's Head of Road Safety Andrew Howard said: "Far more of this is motorists not understanding lorries rather than not understanding motorways."

He said some motorists were unaware that HGVs could not go in the outside lane and were subject to speed restrictions.

Direct Line cited the latest government figures for 2003 which showed there were more than 6,000 accidents involving HGVs. These resulted in the deaths of 166 motorists and nearly 8,000 casualties.

'Driver anxiety'

Emma Holyer, a spokeswoman for the insurance firm, said: "More than a quarter of UK motorists don't like driving in the motorway - and encountering large vehicles at high speed simple reinforces this anxiety."

She said "indecisive driving" increased the risk of accidents and said the firm urged drivers to take extra driving lessons or an advanced driving test.

It also found 70% of drivers would welcome driving test reforms to include training on how to drive around lorries and large vehicles.

Mr Howard said it was a good idea for drivers to "think about lorries" on the motorways and build their confidence.

However, he said there were many reasons why he did not believe motorway driving itself should become part of the driving test.

He said around only 4% of accidents in the UK happened on motorways, compared to some 61% on rural roads, adding there would be many "practical" issues to overcome for tests to include motorways.

Mr Howard said "at times" HGV drivers caused frustration which could lead to accidents by "doing uphill overtakes lasting two and half miles" causing tailbacks in the middle lane.

'Knights of the Road'

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) accepted this sometimes happened.

RHA spokesman Steve Williams said: "We used to be known as the 'Knights of the Road', I wish we could go back to that."

However, he said accidents involving HGVs were "often" not the fault of the lorry driver.

"But I can understand it is intimidating, and it can cut down the vision of cars.. and most of these trucks are 44 tonnes," he said.

He added that drivers should take into account HGVs were subject to "a lot of restrictions and regulations" such as they were all unable to travel at more than 56mph on motorways.

He suggested the theory part of the driving test could require more knowledge on HGVS.