BB FANS

Thu 7 Apr 2005

NAGGING backseat drivers have caused a million accidents in Britain and are a huge hazard on the roads, according to a new survey.

One in four drivers say passengers who try to tell them how to drive have an adverse effect on their performance behind the wheel. 4 per cent say a backseat driver has caused them to have an accident.

Scots passengers are the most likely to offer unsolicited advice - but happily Scots drivers find it easiest to ignore uninvited interruptions from the back seat.

Partners are the worst offenders, with more than half of all motorists saying their significant other is a backseat driver.

One motorist in Sussex became so infuriated when his girlfriend repeatedly gave him directions on a route he knew that he crashed his car into another on a roundabout. The £12,000 car was a write-off.

Another car driver blamed his mother for repeatedly gasping and telling him to slow down. The driver became so distracted he forgot to put on his handbrake and the car rolled off, causing £3,000 worth of damage.

The most common backseat driver behaviour involves giving directions unasked and "inopportune panicked gasping". Telling the driver to switch on the lights or windscreen wipers, checking the speedometer and miming driving actions are also common irritations.

Women are more likely to be irritated by backseat advice than men, with 9 per cent saying they have become so irritated by the behaviour of their passengers they have pulled over and stopped the vehicle.

Not surprisingly, 57 per cent of drivers believe they are a far better driver when they are alone in the car.

Emma Holyer, from Direct Line, which commissioned the survey, commented: "Backseat drivers not only cause unnecessary stress, but are dangerously distracting motorists, which is resulting in road accidents."

Scotsman

clearly, in these politically correct times...there is only one action that can be taken.

One person per vehicle at any time. Make it illegal to carry any passengers - and that especially includes children, women, and old people.

We can not have drivers being distracted - EVER. No mobile phones, no in-car DVD players, no radios, nothing of any kind.
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Calrissian: Chooses not to drive.

well said.. . I got round the passenger broblem by driving okld crap cars, no one ever wants to travel with me

I'm firm with that too - backseat drivers should keep their mouth shut, or otherwhise they'll have to leave the car and walk, immediatly. They are JUST passengers. And that works. Never had to put them out of the car. But I have a joy to know professional drivers and I have learned this firm attitude from them and from my family since childhood.

Once I dated a man that had a fobia over female drivers and when I realise that I left him.

There is alot of truth in the report.
I find I'm more relaxed on a new route listening to directions from the Sat Nav rather than somebody reading them out next to me.

Also while it find it perfectly normal to listen to a two-way radio in the car I find it a bit of a distraction talking on the phone. And the phone is on a totally handfree set-up.
And here is a strange hole in the law. While using a mobile phone without a handfree kit is banned certain groups are still allowed to use a fist microphone with a radio which I can tell you is in my opinion more dangerous than holding a phone.

Listening to directions of a route is quite common over here - that's why we have great rally-drivers as well!