Motorists in Britain are still driving with a summer mentality in monsoon weather and respond too slowly to freak conditions, according to a survey.

The survey, conducted by Swinton Car Insurance on 1,200 customers, revealed that 42% of motorists said they could not adapt themselves to the unpredictable conditions and continue driving at the same speed similar to that in summer.

Around 77% of those surveyed believe they are at higher risk of accidents, due to the monsoon weather.

The survey pointed out that 63% of drivers have actually had near misses, nearly causing accidents, due to the extreme weather.

Swinton has warned that drivers should be more careful in autumn weather as rains could be responsible for poor visibility, which could mean an increase in accidents and elevated insurance premiums.

The company advices drivers to ensure precautions such as switching on headlights, checking tyres regularly and wipers front and back, keeping wing mirrors clean, stopping in very poor visibility, and applying hazard lights.