These Are The Nation’s Most Irritating Driving Habits

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There are all sorts of things that might upset or irritate us whilst we’re out on the road. Whether it’s bad parking, a lack of indication or speeding. But new research has revealed what has been really aggravating us…

The Nation’s Most Irritating Driving Habits

Kwik Fit surveyed 2,001 drivers in order to determine which driving habits most irritated them. Traditionally, tailgating comes out on top in these surveys; with drivers feeling bullied and threatened. However, this time the ‘accolade’ of being the most irritating habit goes to mobile phone use. 56% of the respondents cited it as their biggest pet peeve; meaning that many of us have had enough of drivers taking and receiving calls, texting or checking social media whilst at the wheel. No doubt road safety charities will welcome this seeming shift in motoring culture. Tailgating still came out second, being at the top of 50% of the respondent’s list. Failing to indicate was close behind, at 49%.

Overall, the number of people being prosecuted for using their phones at the wheel has fallen between 2017 and 2018; and by a hearty 19%. However, significant regional disparities still exist. In Yorkshire, for instance, the figure actually rose by 22.6%. In Kirklees, near Huddersfield, it rose by a staggering 82%. This suggests that whilst tougher penalties have had an impact, there may be a way to go in terms of enforcement and social stigma.

Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit, summarised the findings of the research. He said, “The research clearly shows that actions of other drivers which annoy us the most are those which put people’s safety at risk on the road”. He added, “there is no excuse for using a handheld mobile phone when driving, whether it’s for a call, texting or checking social media. It’s vital for road safety that we make using the phone when driving as socially unacceptable as drinking and driving. Until we have fully autonomous vehicles, anything which diverts a driver’s attention from the road is a risk to their safety and those of the road users around them.”

The Scoreboard

Bad Habit	Proportion of drivers with it in their top five
Using a mobile phone handset	56%
Tailgating	50%
Failing to indicate	49%
Dangerous overtaking	38%
Changing lane without indicating	33%
Last-minute braking	24%
Middle lane cruising / hogging	24%
Speeding	23%
Hesitant driving	18%
Jumping traffic lights	18%