One in five married Brits say their other half is a dangerous driver

New research of the nation’s motorists has revealed the extent to which UK couples literally drive each other round the bend – with 26% of Brits having refused to get in the car with their partner in the past year because they believe they are a dangerous driver

Taking too long to get out of a junction, driving in the wrong gear, parking too far from the kerb and breaking too hard were some of the complaints male drivers had about their partners. But female motorists insisted their other half drives too fast on country lanes, tailgates other motorists and suffers from uncontrollable bouts of road rage.

In fact, the average pair kick off at each other just 28 minutes into a car journey, with 69% saying car journeys always end up in a row.

One in ten who took part in the survey said they are most likely to fly off the handle at their nearest and dearest on the way to the supermarket, while one in twenty said visiting the mother-in-law was pretty much guaranteed to end up in an argument. Overall, 21% of motorists in a relationship claim they hate the way their other half drives, with 40% regularly shouting at their other half about bad driving habits.

In fact, 26% of Brits routinely refuse to even get in the car with their partner because of their terrible driving habits. The report showed that men still do the lion’s share of the driving (84 %) while just 29% of women will take the helm on a long journey.

74% of men say they are better at driving than their partner, compared to just 43% of women who say they are far better behind the wheel. And when it comes to the journeys that are guaranteed to end in a bust-up, travelling on unfamiliar roads, journeys of more than two hours and trips to the supermarket emerged as flashpoints.

Budget Insurance has created some top tips on how to keep a cool head in the car and avoid those arguments with our other halves.

Anna McEntee, Director, Budget Insurance, said: “We all have a different approach to driving, but the main thing is that we remain safe on the road. Arguing about the way someone drives or shouting at them for taking a wrong turn is counterproductive, as it could be a distraction for the person behind the wheel. If you’re driving somewhere unfamiliar, check and plan your route beforehand to avoid getting lost, being late and triggering an argument with your other half.”

Almost seven in ten (68% say they often bite their tongue when their other half makes a driving blunder in a bid to save their blushes – and avoid a confrontation. However, 13% said they have been forced to grab the wheel while their partner is driving to avoid a crash or a bump.

Whats winds men up about their partners driving

• Driving in the wrong gear – 20%
• Driving too slowly – 20%
• Lacking confidence to overtake other cars – 20%
• Taking too long to get out of a junction – 18%
• Braking too late – 16%
• Braking too hard – 15%
• Parking too far from the kerb – 12%
• Road rage – 12%
• Breaking the speed limit – 12%
• Driving aggressively – 10%

What wind’s women up about their partners driving

• Road rage – 27%
• Braking too late – 16%
• Getting angry with the sat nav – 15%
• Tailgating – 14%
• Driving too fast on country lanes – 14%
• Playing music too loudly – 12%
• Breaking the speed limit – 12%
• Driving too fast on motorways – 11%
• Honking the horn too much – 8%
• Dangerously overtaking cars – 6%