Give Up Those Bad Driving Habits For The New Year

Research 1 undertaken by Privilege showed that a huge number of British motorists admit to regularly 'behaving badly' behind the wheel. A staggering eight out of ten (83%) drivers said that they, at some point, had acted aggressively on the road and of these, 59% said they had flashed their lights in anger at another road user. Men are slightly more to blame than women, with two-thirds saying they flashed their lights compared to just over half of women.

In addition the most up-to-date figures from the ODPM (DTLR) show that more than four out of ten adults still don't wear a seat belt in the back of a car 2. Even if one Resolution for 2002 was always to 'belt up' in the back of the car - this could severely reduce the number of front seat passengers who die each year as a result of being hit by passengers in the back.

Privilege's research also found that eight out of ten (86%) 3 disabled drivers in the UK regularly found disabled parking places already occupied by non-disabled people's cars. This figure would drastically reduce if drivers resolved to stop deliberately parking in spaces designated to disabled badge holders.

Catherine Alty, business manager for Privilege Insurance comments:

"If you make one resolution this year maybe you should take a pledge to drive more safely. Changing a few of your bad driving habits can make a huge difference to all other road users and make you a more responsible and careful driver."

The top ten list of worst and most common driving habits

1. Not wearing your seatbelt - whilst driving or as a front/back seat passenger
2. Aggressive driving - flashing headlights and beeping your horn at other vehicles in anger
3. Speeding - breaking limits and driving too fast in poor weather conditions
4. Driving whilst using a mobile phone
5. Eating/drinking/changing CD/tape whilst driving
6. Parking in disabled/mother and child parking spaces
7. Not having eyesight tests or not wearing glasses or lenses if needed
8. Driving too close to the car in front
9. Hogging the middle lane on motorways
10. Going through amber when at traffic lights

Notes to editors

1 Survey conducted on behalf of Privilege Insurance by MORI between 8-21 July 1999 amongst 2000 adults aged 17 and over who are driving licence holders and who have driven at least once in the last month.

2 On 31 January 1983 it became law for drivers and front seat passengers, both adults and children to wear seat belts (where fitted). It became compulsory for children under 14 to wear a seat belt in the back of the car on 1 September 1989 and for older children and adults on 1 July 1991 (where fitted). The ODPM (DTLR) estimate that 40 front seat passengers die each year as a result of being hit by rear seat passengers not wearing seat belts.

3 A postal survey was conducted in May-June 2001 by MORI Financial Services on behalf of Privilege Insurance with 901 members of The Disabled Drivers' Association.