Driving us crazy

Whether it’s down to bad habits setting in or too little experience on the road, 99% of UK motorists would like to send some drivers back to school to refine their skills behind the wheel, new research has shown.

A study from Young Driver asked 1,000 UK motorists what elements of driving they thought should be focused on more in the learning process. As well as driving at the correct speed, driver etiquette and avoiding distractions, one in three drivers (35%) say they wish learners had a lesson on the careful opening of car doors, to avoid dinging another vehicle.

According to the research from Young Driver, the main areas motorists wish drivers could go back to school to learn about are the dangers of using a mobile phone behind the wheel, driving too fast and tailgating.

Driving etiquette – such as thanking drivers or allowing people to filter in – also featured highly, with 45% of drivers wishing more focus was given to that during lessons. Being a middle lane hog, bad parking and failing to use an indicator were also bad habits drivers wished could be avoided by getting the learning process right.

Laura White from Young Driver said, ‘Sometimes, when learning to drive, there’s a focus on the mechanics of driving – but we all know there’s much more to it than biting points and gear changes. A large part of being a good driver boils down to having a greater awareness of other road users and being courteous to those around you. There are also certain areas where more practical tuition would help too, like motorway or night time driving, which are needed by nearly all drivers, but are not an essential part of the learning process in the UK. Of course, in many cases, people may have been taught the right way to drive, but bad habits slip in over time.’

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