
Confidence crashes for drivers when they have certain passengers aboard, they have told pollsters.
A new survey into driver safety, carried out by Leasing Options, assessed British motorists’ confidence behind the wheel when a passenger is in the car and results show over 70% of drivers admit they are more likely to stall with a passenger on board.
Despite often lending a hand with parking, passengers were also revealed to be more hazardous than helpful in the car park, as 84% of UK drivers said they have more difficulty parking in someone else’s company.
More than half 60% of motorists also find directions harder to follow with a passenger in the car, admitting they would be more likely to take a wrong turn.
In fact, the survey highlighted that giving directions 28% and pointing instead of providing directions 24% are two of the most annoying passenger habits – suggesting passengers should perhaps leave navigation to the satnav.
A third of respondents 32% ranked their partner as the biggest cause of stress when driving, compared to just under a quarter 23% choosing children as the major cause of stress.
With the added stress or distraction that can come with an additional person in the car – it is unsurprising that in-car distractions were the highest cause of car accidents in 2014, of those caused by impairment or distraction.
Distractions inside the vehicle accounted for 3,200 UK road accidents in 2014 – compared to 1,736 accidents caused by distractions outside of the car and only 492 accidents caused by drivers using a mobile phone.
Top 10 Annoying Passenger Habits:
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Mike Thompson, Brand Manager at Leasing Options, said: “Leasing Options is a company that takes driver safety very seriously, which is why we found it important to highlight the effect that in-car distractions can have on driving ability.
“The lower standard of driving resulting from in-car distractions can result in failure to anticipate hazards or control the vehicle safely, often resulting in an accident. It’s important to consider the impact that driving with a passenger can have on your observation skills. Making sure that the road is your number one priority and that you are able to ignore or safely defuse any in-car distractions as soon as they appear will minimise the risk of an accident.” |
For more information on the annoying passenger habits, read: Annoying habits