Skip to main content

New driver study reveals Britain’s ten worst driving habits

According to a study by business driving expert, the Fuelcard Company, which questioned 1,000 drivers across the UK more than half of British drivers (52 per cent) have picked up some potentially dangerous driving habits. These include going too fast or too slow, texting while driving, using the phone or hands-free, eating or smoking at the wheel, driving too close to other vehicles, throwing rubbish out of the window, hogging the middle lane and checking phone notifications. Interestingly, more than
September 23, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
According to a study by business driving expert, the Fuelcard Company, which questioned 1,000 drivers across the UK more than half of British drivers (52 per cent) have picked up some potentially dangerous driving habits.

These include going too fast or too slow, texting while driving, using the phone or hands-free, eating or smoking at the wheel, driving too close to other vehicles, throwing rubbish out of the window, hogging the middle lane and checking phone notifications.

Interestingly, more than a third of drivers claim to only practice these bad habits when they are in their car alone. However, despite confessing to exhibiting some of these bad habits, more than one-in-four (27 per cent) of UK drivers claim to be the best driver they know and 37 per cent say they are a better driver than their partner.

The report also asked drivers about road rage with 38 per cent admitting they felt they suffered from it. The DVLA currently lists 45.5 million drivers in Great Britain, equating to 17 million drivers suffering from road rage.

Other bad practices identified in the study include driving without shoes (13 per cent), singing while driving (31 per cent) and shockingly, committing sexual acts (8 per cent).

Richard Brown, Commercial Director at The Fuelcard Company said: Whether you’re driving for personal or business reasons, bad habits can take a driver’s attention off the road meaning they can miss potential hazards.

“Some of the habits we identified seem relatively innocent, but we’d urge people to pay attention next time they’re behind the wheel to see exactly how many of these habits they’re guilty of without even realising it – they may be surprised. We’ve conducted this study to stress the importance of paying proper attention when you’re driving, to ultimately make sure our roads are a safe place to be.”

Related Content

  • March 16, 2022
    IBTTA: road user charge is the future
    The US government’s cash injection for the nation’s bridges represents a step forward – but IBTTA’s Pat Jones suggests that states need to consider the benefits of road usage charging
  • July 28, 2016
    ADAS leads consumer preferences in new vehicle purchases, says survey
    According to a new IHS Automotive global consumer survey, Connected Cars, 55 per cent of annual global new vehicle sales in 2020 will be connected vehicles and at that time, nearly half of the global fleet of vehicles in operation will be connected. Findings indicate that new advanced technologies and increased connectivity are driving consumer preferences as they consider new vehicles. More than 4,000 vehicle owners intending to purchase a new vehicle within the next 36 months were surveyed, representi
  • January 14, 2022
    No compromise on workzone safety
    The National Work Zone Memorial is a sobering reminder of the dangers of working on US highways. More accurate and timely information can help reduce risks, explains One.network’s Simon Topp
  • February 3, 2012
    Driver training saves lives, increases profits, reduces costs
    An innovative UK Government initiative on work-related driver training has resulted in astonishing success, not only in terms of government objectives, but also in substantial cost-benefits for companies and public sector authorities participating in the scheme: they save lives and increase profits/reduce costs Here, we present an overview of the initiative and, overleaf, provide a detailed cost-benefit analysis which amply illustrates why it has been enthusiastically embraced by industry and the public sec