Experienced drivers annoyed by learners on the road

24^th July 2019  

Learning to drive can be hard enough without added pressure from other drivers. And our latest survey at ingenie has revealed that nearly half of drivers (45%) admit to being annoyed by learners on the road.

Of those surveyed, the number one irritation is - you guessed it - driving too slowly (38%) which was closely followed by lessons being taken during rush hour.

This is bad news for learners, as experienced drivers who feel frustrated at being held up may be more likely to tailgate or drive aggressively, which puts everyone - including themselves - at risk.

What's the problem?

We broke down the biggest problem areas for drivers in this survey to find out what's getting them riled behind the wheel.

• Driving too slowly: 38%
• Taking lessons during rush hour: 22%
• Stalling at junctions and lights: 17%
• Making mistakes such as indicating wrongly: 14%
• Blocking the road doing manoeuvres: 9%

Patience for learners

Doing things at a slower pace is to be expected when learning any new skill, not just driving. The idea of a learner driver whizzing around at high speed would be very concerning indeed. And while learners practising in rush hour may be inconvenient for others drivers wanting a quick and easy commute, it is fundamental that learners experience these busier, more challenging driving conditions. If not on their lessons, then when?

Encouragingly, the remaining majority (55%) of drivers from this survey also share this view, claiming to not be bothered by learners at all while understanding it's a process all drivers go through.

With many young people learning to drive over the summer, we're urging all drivers to remember that they were learners once and to give them space when out on the road.

“Many of us get frustrated behind slow drivers, but we know from feedback within our learner driver community that lessons and private practice can be stressful and pressure from other drivers can make things worse. Tailgating and unsafe overtaking is dangerous for all drivers on the road.

Our driver support team advises ingenie drivers who are following a learner to give them space and only overtake if it’s safe to do so at a legal speed.”

Selim Cavanagh
ingenie CEO

Tailgating helps no one

When you're under pressure behind the wheel, there is a temptation to put your foot down, but Jo Silvester, driving instructor and member of Swindon Young Drivers, goes on to advise that this just turns an already uncomfortable and stressful situation into an even more dangerous one.

"The common reaction is to increase speed to get away from the vehicle, however this only results in the tailgating happening at a higher speed."

With more learner drivers opting to take up private practice outside of lessons with an instructor, it's important for parents to know how to support their learner when faced with impatient drivers.

“If your car is being tailgated while your learner is driving, advise your learner to slowly increase the gap between your car and whatever is ahead. If the following car does not overtake but continues to drive too close, stay calm and find a safe place to turn off the road."

Jo Silvester
Swindon Young Drivers