Skip to main content

Passengers’ pestering proves distracting for drivers

A survey of drivers carried out in the UK reveals that a significant portion believe their spouse to be their most annoying passenger. This could pose a serious risk too since annoying passengers can provide a major distraction to drivers. The survey, carried out by car leasing firm OSV said that 43% of male drivers and 41% of female drivers found their spouse to be the most annoying passenger. The survey also found that around 65% of motorists admit to regularly arguing in their car. Other annoying passeng
January 4, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
A survey of drivers carried out in the UK reveals that a significant portion believe their spouse to be their most annoying passenger. This could pose a serious risk too since annoying passengers can provide a major distraction to drivers. The survey, carried out by car leasing firm OSV said that 43% of male drivers and 41% of female drivers found their spouse to be the most annoying passenger. The survey also found that around 65% of motorists admit to regularly arguing in their car. Other annoying passengers include children (16%) and siblings (11%).

Almost one in seven UK drivers admitted that passengers eating gets on their nerves, although being a backseat driver is considered the most common irritating characteristic. Other passenger gripes include; playing with the radio, asking for toilet breaks and not wearing a seatbelt.

Co-Founder of OSV Ltd, Debbie Kirkley said: “If a driver becomes annoyed or stressed out because of a passenger, they may become distracted. As we are all aware, being distracted increases our chances of being involved in an accident and in order to prevent this, we suggest you tell a passenger how you feel before setting off on a car journey.”

Related Content

  • Defective eyesight, a road safety concern?
    February 16, 2012
    Failing eyesight presents safety problems for Europe's older drivers. A new report highlights substantial variation in the assessment of drivers' vision across Europe, and recommends that Member States make moves to better assess drivers' vision. Checking the vision of drivers plays a valuable role in the EU's target of halving road deaths across the EU by 2020. The aim is to achieve this road safety improvement by legislative means that change driver behaviour, raise the technical standards of vehicles and
  • Argentinan study backs up previous research highlighting women safer drivers than males
    December 8, 2014
    A study carried out in Argentina by NGO Luchemos por la Vida reveals that female drivers are safer than male drivers. The study was based on data from 4,724 drivers in Buenos Aires city. The results reveal that women drivers take fewer risks and are less likely to break the law than male drivers. Women drivers wear seat belts more than men, are less likely to drive through red lights and are also less likely to use a phone while behind the wheel. The findings match previous international studies.
  • Kids in Cars: from curious to furious during the summer road trip
    August 20, 2015
    Kids start to complain about the amount of time in a car after two 2 and 23 minutes of driving, according to research in the UK. Around that time, the driver will hear from the back seat the first of a long list of complaints: “Are we nearly there yet?” And by 2 hours and 37 minutes, angry rows have broken out. These squabbles are almost inevitable, noted the study from the UK’s Highways England. Nearly 80% of families say kids quarrel during long-distance summer trips. Many parents said this happens wi
  • Road surface quality is vital to safety and policing - TISPOL 2015 conference
    January 18, 2016
    The state of Europe’s road surfaces “is absolutely vital” if TISPOL, the European Traffic Police Network, is going to achieve its target of halving road deaths across the continent by 2020 says AA president Edmund King Speaking at the 2015 TISPOL annual conference in Manchester, King warned that the deteriorating state of Europe’s road pavements has become “a serious problem” and that the number of potholes is now an important road safety issue for the enforcement community.