Mobile phone use tops list of UK drivers’ biggest pet hates

Almost a third of motorists say using a mobile phone behind the wheel is the most annoying habit they witness while driving, yet a shocking 10 per cent admit to doing it, an Auto Express survey has found.

We polled nearly 10,000 of our readers to see which driving habits they disliked the most and which they’re guilty of themselves. Mobile phone usage (29 per cent) topped our frustrating traits poll, followed by failure to indicate on roundabouts and lane hogging – both leaving a quarter of motorists seeing red.

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Despite our readers ranking mobile phone use as their biggest grievance, it was second in the list of habits they owned up to, with 10 per cent saying they’d made a call or surfed the Web on their handsets.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), told Auto Express: “Holding a mobile phone has a direct and obvious impact on driving, such as swerving across lanes, slowing down and a having a lack of concentration, so I can see why it upsets so many.”

When it was time to admit their biggest sin behind the wheel, a staggering 65 per cent of readers confessed to breaking the speed limit on a regular basis. Surprisingly, though, only four per cent said that seeing others speeding bothered them.

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The latest figures from the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) show that the chance of an accident rises exponentially with speed. A 10 per cent increase in speed is estimated to up the likelihood of an accident occurring by 26 per cent.

Greig added: “Changing society’s attitude to speeding remains a huge challenge. Average speeds have been reduced in recent years, but we’re still way off people seeing speeding in a similar anti-social fashion as drink-driving. This should be the ultimate aim for Government and police campaigns.

“As ever, ‘do as I say and not as I do’ seems to sum up the primary mindset of most drivers in this instance.”

Your driving habits

Our poll of 10,000 motorists reveals UK’s most irritating driving habits, plus those that drivers admit they’re guilty of themselves.

Most annoying driving habits

1. Using mobile phone at wheel2. Hogging middle lane on motorway3. Not indicating on roundabouts4. Throwing rubbish out of the window5. Not saying thanks when letting someone in

Most likely to do yourself

1. Breaking the speed limit2. Using mobile phone at wheel3. Not indicating on roundabouts4. Hogging middle lane on motorway5. Not saying thanks when someone lets you in

Now read our guide to save money on motoring by cutting your bills.