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Britain’s most courteous driver is likely to be a woman in her forties, driving a car with a large engine. Leading car insurance specialist, Admiral quizzed motorists on their courtesy, or lack of it to other road users and found middle-aged ladies are the most polite when behind the wheel.
Alternately, the least courteous motorists are young men under the age of 21 who drive cars with engines less than 1500cc.
According to Admiral’s research, on the whole British motorists are fairly courteous, although there is room for improvement. Nine out of ten motorists often let other motorists out of side roads, while 62% always thank other motorists for giving way.
However 58% have shouted or gesticulated at other road users who have annoyed them, and 53% have sounded their horn at other motorists.
Most motorists do show consideration to other road users. Only 5% rarely or never let pedestrians cross the road in front of them and only 4% rarely or never make space for cyclists.
Many motorists also display bad manners in the way they drive. 23% have jumped a queue at roadworks, 18% have raced another motorist at traffic lights and 18% have also tailgated a car they don’t think is going fast enough.
Admiral managing director, Sue Longthorn, said, “We asked motorists a range of questions to find out just how courteous they are when they get behind the wheel. The results reveal the majority of motorists are polite and courteous, most of the time, but sometimes the pressure and stress of driving gets the better of them and courtesy goes out the window.
“I know it’s easy to say but we’d like to ask all motorists to try and show a bit more politeness and courtesy to other road users. Perhaps then we can all make driving a more pleasurable experience.”
The founder of the Campaign for Courtesy, Ian Gregory, commenting on the survey, said, “It is known that each fatal road accident costs an average £1m to clear up, taking everything into account.** We also know that about half of major road accidents are caused by what can only be described as a failure of courtesy by a driver not noticing or caring that other people are in his road space.
“If road manners improved by say just ten percent the consequent saving to the National Health Service would be many millions of pounds. It is not just a matter of being judgmental about bad driving: there are hard cash benefits in encouraging people to use the roads with concern for other people. A vehicle is more than just a moving mass of metal, plastic wire and rubber: it is vulnerable human beings - grandparents, mums, dads, and kids.”
Admiral’s research also revealed that men and women differ in the ways they display courtesy on the road. For while woman are less likely to let another car out of a side road or thank another motorist who has given way, they are also less likely to gesticulate, shout or sound their horn if they are irritated.
Women are also less likely than men to jump queues, to tailgate or to race other motorists at traffic lights.
Sue Longthorn commented, “It’s interesting that there is a difference between the genders. It could be that women concentrate more on their own driving and so pay less attention to other motorists.”
When it comes to the age of motorists, those in their forties are the politest, followed by those in their thirties. Motorists aged between 17 and 21 are by far the least courteous.
*Admiral surveyed 500 motorists in April 2007
** Figures compiled by RAC
Issue date: 22-08-07 | 
