Goodyear Tyres UK explores the impact that traffic is having on Brits
- Nearly half (46 per cent) of British motorists would consider changing their job to avoid congestion
- 40 per cent would consider giving up their city life if they could avoid congestion by using a driverless vehicle
- 10 per cent claim congestion has caused them to feel the most stressed they have ever been
- Two in five British motorists would use a driverless car instead of driving to relax
Tuesday 10 October, 2017: Traffic volumes are rising at unprecedented rates, in fact, between April 2016 and March 2017, traffic volumes reached a new record high of 324.3 billion miles* in the UK.
The stress of getting stuck in traffic is having such a profound impact on Brits’ wellbeing that nearly half (46 per cent) would consider changing their job as a result. Not only that, but with driverless vehicles promising to alter the traffic equation by making commutes more convenient, 40 per cent would consider giving up their city life to move to the suburbs.
That’s according to new research from Goodyear Tyres UK – which has delved into the impact that congestion and traffic is having on the everyday lives of Brits.
With driving speeds in some of the UK’s major cities falling by up to 20% over the last year* and commute times on the up, it may come as no surprise that almost one-in-ten (9 per cent) motorists claim congestion has caused them to be the most stressed they have ever been in their life.
The research from Goodyear Tyres UK also highlights the everyday impact of getting stuck in a traffic jam on motorists; nearly two-thirds (58 per cent) have arrived late to work, 37 per cent claim they have sworn, 15 per cent admit to making rude hand gestures and four per cent admit that traffic has made them cry.
Getting stuck in a traffic, however, isn’t all doom-and-gloom for Brits; 28 per cent spend this ‘lost’ time singing in-car karaoke, 26 per cent catch-up with the kids on the back seat and almost a-quarter (24 per cent) talk to friends and family via handsfree. The research also reveals that 17 per cent use the time to plan their meals for the week.
Kate Rock, Goodyear Tyres, comments: “With autonomous vehicles promising a future where passengers are free to maximise their travel time, it’s no surprise that Brits are willing to give up what can be a hectic city life in favour of a more relaxed commute.
“The incentives to live in the suburbs look set to increase and could have a significant impact on the make-up of our cities of the future. Our research reveals that almost one-in-five motorists believe the main benefit of using a driverless car would be the convenience of not having to park. Inadequate parking wastes a fifth of car spaces**, so we could end up seeing cities with more parking space, relaxed commuters and as a result, greater levels of wellbeing, simply by taking the stress of parking and commuting away from drivers.”
Research conducted by 3GEM Research & Insights of 2,000 British motorists.
*Department for Transport (DoT) data
** Research from Direct Line Car Insurance
