Top 10 Driver Frustrations

Top 10 Driver Frustrations

Auckland, 2 May 2013 – Drivers who don’t leave their contact details after hitting a parked car frustrate New Zealand motorists the most, according to a new survey by AA Insurance. The survey, which polled 1,000 regular Kiwi drivers aged 18 years and over, found that women drivers (70%) are more likely to find this frustrating than men (59%), as are North Islanders (72%) compared to South Islanders (65%).

A recent AA Insurance claim involved a truck rolling down a hill causing $6,000 worth of damage to a parked car. No note was left by the truck driver but a witness was able to provide details, which meant the owner of the damaged car didn’t have to pay the excess.

“When a driver is frustrated he or she is more likely to lose their concentration and take uncalled-for risks that can result in an accident,” said Suzanne Wolton, Head of Customer Relations, AA Insurance.

The second most frustrating behaviour was drivers who increase their speed at a passing lane so you can’t pass and/or then slow down after the passing lane. North Islanders (70%) found this particular behaviour more frustrating that South Islanders (59%).

When it comes to drivers who ‘steal’ a car park you were clearly waiting for (the third most frustrating behaviour) women (60%) found this more frustrating than men (50%), while younger people (18-24 yrs: 69%) found it more frustrating than older people (65+ years: 45%). Meanwhile older people (those aged 55-64 years: 55%) were more likely  to be frustrated at drivers who illegally parked in disabled spaces (the 10th most frustrating behaviour).

The results also suggest that road safety is important to New Zealand drivers. Behaviours like tailgating, failure to indicate, and parents who don’t secure children properly were all sources of frustration to other drivers. Another recent AA Insurance claim involved a customer who was travelling too close to the car in front, and who then hit the car as traffic slowed down for a red light. The cost of this claim totalled $1,500. This type of claim is quite common across New Zealand.

Interestingly there were no significant differences found among New Zealanders when it came to attitudes towards drivers who show signs of aggressive behaviour such as verbal abuse, rude gestures and tooting horns.

“Overall our survey found that women are more likely to be frustrated by parking issues compared to men. Younger people appear less bothered by certain driving behaviours, like speeding and using mobile phones while driving, compared to older age groups. This could be a result of their relative inexperience in driving compared to older motorists,” added Suzanne. “Ultimately though, New Zealanders as a whole seem to find aggressive drivers frustrating regardless of age or experience. It’s important that motorists take their time and be courteous to all road users in an effort to avoid unnecessary risks and resulting accidents.”

AA Insurance’s Top 10 Driver Frustrations*

1. Drivers who damage your parked car and don’t leave a note with their contact details
2. Drivers who speed up at a passing lane and/or slow down after the passing lane
3. Drivers who ‘steal’ a car park you were clearly waiting for
4. Drivers who tailgate
5. Drivers with children who aren’t wearing seatbelts or properly restrained
6. Drivers who don’t indicate
7. Drivers who don’t dip their lights for oncoming traffic at night
8. Drivers who exhibit signs of aggressive behaviour
9. Drivers who do not park properly
10. Drivers who use disabled spaces in a car park but shouldn’t

*To calculate the Top 10 Frustrations, AA Insurance surveyed 1000 regular drivers to rate their level of frustrations against a pre-defined selection of 37 frustrations, grouped into three key areas: Road Etiquette, Road Safety, and Parking Etiquette.

ENDS

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