Ghosts, ghouls and things that go bump in the night. But enough about Halloween, as we reveal the biggest fears of new drivers.
A new survey of 1,501 UK adults shows that driving on a motorway is a chilling prospect for many drivers. Around a third said they were scared of venturing onto the three-lane highway.
This is followed by crashing, driving in bad weather (e.g. rain or snow), and that perennial nightmare – parallel parking.
When considering a gender split, the women who took part in the survey put motorway driving at the top of the fright list (35 percent). On the other hand, crashing is most likely to result in men waking up in a cold sweat.
A spokesperson from Car Parts 4 Less, the company behind the data, said: “Whether you take your test as a teenager or adult, we all crave the freedom that driving can bring us. However, passing your test isn’t the end of your driving education.
“We’re constantly learning how to be better and safer drivers on the roads and its natural to feel scared or anxious when you first drive alone on the roads.”
In June 2018, the rules changed to allow learner drivers to practice driving on motorways, with a driving instructor.
The changes were introduced to give learner drivers the opportunity to get a broader driving experience before taking their test. The overall aim – to reduce the number of motorway accidents involving a novice driver.
Learner drivers are advised to put the horror novel to one side and familiar themselves with the rules of motorway driving. Sections 253 to 273 of the Highway Code cover everything from joining a motorway to overtaking.
Top 10 biggest fears of new drivers
- Motorway driving: 31 percent
- Crashing: 28 percent
- Driving in bad weather: 26 percent
- Parallel parking: 26 percent
- Stalling: 22 percent
- Reverse parking: 20 percent
- Night driving: 19 percent
- New or unknown roads: 14 percent
- Driving alone: 14 percent
- Car maintenance: 13 percent
Useful advice:
- Drive safely in the rain
- How to avoid distractions behind the wheel
- How to avoid being a victim of road rage
ALSO READ
Engines and interior upgrades for 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander
Peugeot sells its motorcycle division to Mahindra
Looking at your photo of 4 young occupants being very scared,,,,, none are wearing seatbelts, so their primary fear should be about getting killed or seriously injured in even a modest crash…. Not very good choice for image ! Many people are frightened of m’way driving but the vast majority have done nothing about it. It’s never been a requirement for learners or newly qualified drivers and take up rate for such, optional, training is dismal. New regulations allow learners on m’ways with ADI in dual controlled car… that’s great, but why not make it compulsory and help more drivers be better skilled and more confident with m’w driving.