It’s the perfect storm of hostility, your enemy is at close quarters, there are many different opinions and the world is whizzing past at speed to add to the tension, but what really does cause in-car arguments?
According to the team behind Waze, one of the world’s most popular satnav apps, the main reasons why we find ourselves arguing range from following the wrong directions, the choice of music and every motorist’s worst nightmare - the backseat driver.
Waze asked the opinions of 2,000 UK motorists for their ‘Year in Rear View’ study and found that criticising the driver’s decisions was the number one reason for an argument with 46 per cent admitting that that has led to a falling out.
The study also looked at other driving habits and found that 25 per cent of drivers had sworn or shouted at another driver, while 23 per cent have sped up to make it through an amber light.
“After 18 months of intermittent lockdowns, UK motorists are adjusting to life on the roads and sharing journeys again,” said Ru Roberts, Waze UK Country Manager.
“This year we spent more time in the car than ever as the country opened up, with daily driven miles increasing by 23 per cent compared to pre-COVID levels.
“New habits are emerging too - drives for leisure, travel and staycations all increased this year while 55 per cent of UK motorists no longer have a daily commute.
“Those who can afford to have bought cars this year rather than taking public transport, so we predict we'll see even more cars on the road during 2022."