Top 10 annoying passenger behaviours. Backseat driving is biggest wind up for drivers
A survey of 1,011 British motorists carried out by car leasing company, Vantage-leasing.com, has revealed the top 10 most infuriating passenger behaviours with back seat driving topping the list.
An overwhelming proportion (88%) of drivers voted passengers giving out unsolicited unwelcome driving advice as more annoying than anything else.
More than three quarters (76%) of UK drivers say they do not like it when passengers eat in their car and 74% say they are left annoyed by passengers giving poor navigation or directions.
71% say it makes them mad when passengers change the music and or radio station in their car, while 67% feel the same about the temperature controls.
More than half (56%) of drivers say they hate it when their passengers get road rage on their behalf, while false braking winds up 48% of motorists.
Passengers not contributing to petrol or parking costs is a frustration for 45%, while a similar amount (43%) feel the same about passengers littering or leaving rubbish in their car.
A third (33%) of British motorists say they find passengers applying makeup irritating, completing the top 10.
Surprisingly, 1 in 3 of those surveyed confessed that they are an irritating passenger themselves.
Says James Buttrick, Senior Leasing Consultant at Vantage-leasing.com:
“It’s really quite interesting to see how many drivers in the UK are being left irritated by their passengers’ habits.
“Passenger should be aware of these as it’s important that drivers are paying attention to the road and other drivers, and not concerned about those in the car handing out unwelcome advice or eating and making a mess on the back seat.
“And as a driver, there are certain things you could be doing to deter passengers from being annoying, such as being direct but polite and upfront about the behaviours they find irritating.”
The data revealed that men are indeed the self-confessed worst passengers, with 36% admitting to being guilty of annoying passenger habits, compared to just 30% of women who admit the same.
Bristol is the home to the UK’s worst passengers, with 44% confessing to being an irritating passenger, followed by Birmingham residents (39%).
Top ten passenger bugbears according to UK drivers:
- Passengers giving unwelcome driving advice – 88%
- Passengers eating in the car – 76%
- Passengers giving poor directions –
- Passengers taking over the music controls – 71%
- Passengers taking over the temperature controls – 67%
- Passengers getting road rage on their behalf – 56%
- Passengers breaking – 49%
- Passengers not contributing to petrol or parking costs – 45%
- Passengers littering or leaving rubbish in their car – 43%
- Passengers applying makeup – 33%
