The vow factor..
Drivers reveal top New Year’s resolutions for themselves and others at the wheel
IMPROVING their own parking skills is the top New Year’s resolution for millions of UK motorists, according to a poll.
But when it comes to judging other drivers, it seems those sharing the roads should resolve to indicate, stop tailgating and get off the phone.
And, perhaps over-confidently, nine per cent believe they behave perfectly at the wheel and have nothing they could do better. Researchers quizzed 1000 UK motorists on behalf of the country’s largest pre-17 driving school, Young Driver.
For those who did think their skills could be worked on, parking took the two top spots for the most needed New Year’s resolutions across all age groups.
Parallel parking was the most common thing that motorists admitted needed improvement (35 per cent), with a further 31 per cent saying their reverse parking capabilities could be honed.
Being more patient behind the wheel (16 per cent) and more confident (15 per cent) also featured in the top 10.
Also on 15 per cent was a need to overcome nervousness on the motorway, while checking blind spots and driving in a more environmentally friendly way each scored 12 per cent.
Rounding out the top 10 were using mirrors more (11 per cent), remembering to indicate (10 per cent) and reducing speed (nine per cent).
Young Driver also asked what skills those quizzed thought other drivers could do with sharpening up come January 1 – revealing we judge other people’s road manners very differently to our own.
Interestingly, better parking barely registered on the list of top 10 resolutions we would like other drivers to make. But mobile phone use was a real bugbear, even though it didn’t even make the top 10 list of improvements we would make for ourselves.
However, the top spot was taken by the need to always indicate – which was a resolution 52 per cent would make for other motorists.
Second place went to not getting too close to the car in front (44 per cent) – a fault only eight per cent of drivers personally felt they needed to work on.
Never using a mobile phone behind the wheel was a close third (42 per cent), followed by reducing speed (40 per cent) and being more patient (37 per cent).
Lower down the list came using mirrors more (25 per cent), always checking blind spots (23 per cent) and giving cyclists and horse riders plenty of space when passing (20 per cent).
However, refining reverse parking skills languished in ninth place on 14 per cent, with driving faster propping up the top 10 for other drivers on 11 per cent.
Young Driver head of marketing Sue Waterfield said: “Twelve per cent of men and six per cent of women think they are a perfect driver – yet people were very clear about the deficiencies in other people’s driving skills.
“In reality, all of the things on the lists should be drilled into us when learning to drive, and they’re certainly messages and skills we clearly communicate to our pupils when they’re behind the wheel.
“But it’s easy for bad habits to slip in once you’ve been driving for several years. So a New Year’s resolution to drive with more consideration and care – and to perhaps brush up on those parking skills – definitely seems like a good idea.”
Visit www.youngdriver.com to find out more about the variety of lessons and experiences they offer for those aged 10 to 17 years old.