On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your driving ability? Are you a great driver? Or do you lack confidence behind the wheel? According to the latest research by Peter Vardy, UK drivers rate themselves as 6.98 out of 10 when it comes to their driving ability, but only rate other local drivers a 5.7 average. It seems that we have more confidence in our own driving
than our fellow road users.
So which drivers are the best behaved in the UK? And who should you steer clear of on your morning commute? We find out…
Model motorists: who are the best-behaved drivers?
Suzuki, Volvo and Vauxhall drivers are revealed as the best in the UK, based on the number of points on their license. Three quarters of those behind the wheel of a Suzuki or Volvo have no penalty points, and Vauxhall drivers aren’t far behind, with just over two-thirds free of points.
So which drivers would you be safest catching a lift with? A deep dive into the colour choice of the safest road users revealed that statistically, drivers of grey Vauxhalls are the safest in the UK – with the least amount of penalty points on average.
So, who are the worst behaved road users?
Interestingly, Ford, Renault and Peugeot drivers came out as the worst motorists in the country, based on the number of points on their license. Out of these three, Ford drivers take last place, with nearly half (44.6%) having at least 3 points on their license.
Research also revealed that BMW drivers are the most likely to speed or drive recklessly, while owners of green Audis recorded the highest number of penalty points on average.
What are the most common driving offences in the UK?
Shockingly, over half of Brits (52%) have been caught, cautioned or prosecuted for a crime while driving. But what are the most common reasons for this?
Speeding is top of the list, driving while disqualified is second and driving without insurance is the third most common offence. It turns out that men are 10% more likely to be caught speeding than women, whereas women are seven times more likely to be caught driving while disqualified.
Worryingly, research also showed the extent of dangerous driving across the UK as over a third (37%) of Brits admitted to getting behind the wheel with defective parts of their car.
How do Brits rate their own driving?
When asked to rate their own driving ability (with 10 being pro), survey respondents rated themselves an average of 6.98. Ten per cent of road users in the UK rate themselves as a pro, giving themselves a score of 8 or more out of 10. On the other hand, perhaps surprisingly, more than one million drivers in the UK rate themselves a meagre 2 out of 10.
So which cities are home to the most confident road users?
Out of all cities surveyed, Norwich drivers rate their ability behind the wheel the most highly, scoring themselves 8 out of 10. Liverpudlians, Glaswegians, Geordies and those in Sheffield all rate themselves above average too, scoring 7.3 or above.
When it comes to rating other road users, it appears that Brits lack confidence in other drivers, as every city surveyed rated others lower than they rated themselves. Those in Belfast appear most wary of their fellow road users, scoring them just 4.3 out of 10.
Claire Rogan, Digital Marketing Manager at Peter Vardy, commented on the findings:
“Taking proper due care and attention behind the wheel should always be at the forefront of our minds when in control of a car, so it is surprising to see our research indicate that over half of British drivers have been penalised for driving offences. Whether you have just passed your test, or have been driving for years, it is important to not allow your own perception of your driving skills to cloud your judgement. The research shows that, on average, UK drivers perceive their own driving skill level as higher than those around them, which when combined with the number of drivers admitting to having penalty points on their licence, indicates that we may not be quite as attentive behind the wheel as we’d like to think.”
According to the Department for Transport, there were 160,597 casualties and 1,784 deaths due to road traffic accidents in 2018. These shocking statistics highlight the importance of road safety, no matter what car you drive, where you’re from or how you rate yourself behind the wheel.
