According to a recent survey by an independent insurance company, 66 percent of motorists, as a result of unwanted attention from backseat drivers, have been involved in traffic collisions. This type of distraction is quite common and has led to car accidents for nearly 25 percent of drivers, ultimately driving up car insurance costs.

The survey indicated that more than two-thirds of women and 70 percent of drivers over the age of 55 have been involved in a crash due to distractions attributed to passengers inside their vehicles.

Teachers ranked high among preferred passengers

The teachers have been named among the most patient of the passengers. The majority of drivers surveyed said they prefer to drive with co-workers rather than parents or common-law partners, who tend to be the most disruptive among rear-seat passengers.

Research highlights that having passengers in the car can distract drivers from the road and lead to traffic accidents, which in turn has an effect on car insurance policies and can lead to personal injury compensation claims. This usually results in increased premium costs as well.

The findings suggest that as many as a million crashes and near misses have occurred when a passenger makes unsolicited suggestions or gives unwelcome advice. By not keeping their opinions to themselves, passengers are also inciting a large number of drivers (nearly 1.7 million) to behave recklessly, including:

1. speeding

2. Change lanes suddenly and

3. Unnecessary braking

The research also found that 60 per cent of backseat drivers genuinely believe they are being helpful when offering directions, while nearly a fifth say they only speak out of fear for their own safety.

Common backseat driver behaviors include: offering unwanted directions, gasping in unwelcome panic, and constantly checking the speedometer.

Aside from drivers’ lack of concentration when provoked, almost a third of motorists become stressed and annoyed with their passengers, who are generally trying to be helpful. Women, who are generally more easily angered, often stop the car after getting annoyed by criticism in the back seat.

Domestic partners top the list of driving irritants

Domestic partners take the blame for being the worst culprits, criticizing from the backseat or from the passenger seat, with more than half of those surveyed describing their other halves as ‘backseat drivers’. Unsurprisingly, more than half of all motorists think they are better drivers when they are alone in the car because they can give their full attention to driving.