Difficult weather conditions, challenging road surfaces and the unpredictability of other road users and pedestrians are common obstacles which motorists must face. The last thing that they therefore need is further obstacles from within their vehicle.

However, difficult and negative passengers are a hurdle that we must all face at one time or another. Ranging from criticism of our driving techniques to pointing out obviously hurdles which lie ahead in the road; negative passengers only add to the obstacles which drivers must overcome.

Research

A recent study conducted by esure car insurance revealed that one in ten British motorists have either had a road accident or at least a near miss due to distractions caused by passengers.

This survey also revealed that 51% of motorists have been made “angry” by passengers at some point while driving 40% have been made “anxious”.

It was revealed that partners are the most likely ‘backseat driver’, with 27% of those surveyed admitting that this was a problem. This is perhaps as a result of being more confident in venting their opinions.

The evaporation of no-claims bonus as a result of accidents contributed to by this distraction is something that motorists can simply no longer afford; with MoneySupermarket revealing that the average motorist is now paying £921 per year to cover their car insurance requirements.

The following therefore takes a look at what actions can be taken in order to reduce one of the most prolific in-car hurdles:

Back seat drivers

Fans of the classic TV comedy ‘Keeping up Appearances’ will be more than aware of the potential  danger of back seat drivers; with Hyacinth Bucket constantly offering long-suffering Husband Richard advice on how to deal with up-coming threats or the best route to take to reach a certain destination. As comical as this might be to the observer, it is certainly not a laughing matter for the driver and will no doubt increase the potential for road accidents despite the best intentions of the offender.

It is therefore advised that you bring this up sooner rather than later with the distracting passenger so that they are aware of the potential problem they are creating; it could well be that they simply do not realise the problem that they are causing. It is after all better to have a minor disagreement than to risk having a road accident that could result in injuries being sustained by your passengers, other road users or even yourself.

It might be considered a bit extreme, but requesting that someone who is guilty of this sits in the back of the car rather than in the front passenger seat might also be a good suggestion where possible. This will give the person poorer visibility of the road ahead so that they won’t be tempted to comment.

Other distractors

Children require almost constant supervision and it is easy to get caught up in your guardian responsibilities when behind the wheel. However, it is important to separate the two roles and focus on the road ahead if you are to avoid potential accidents.

A survey of 1,000 motorists conducted by Citroen found that 25% of drivers have been distracted by children on average, with 10% claiming that fighting and screaming was a regular distraction they faced.

Jools Townsend from road safety group Brake has therefore advised motorists to ensure that children are securely strapped in before setting off on their journey and to pull over in order to give children time to calm down if the distraction they are creating becomes too great.

Other commonly recommended tactics include ensuring that children are fed before you set off so that they do not get hungry during the journey. It could also be a good idea to supply them with a range of toys to keep them distracted. If only adults were so easy to occupy…

Possible future actions

The government should consider banning newly qualified young drivers from carrying passengers who are a similar age according to Cardiff University. This would save 20 lives and result in 1,700 fewer injuries being caused by road accidents on average every year according to research they carried out over a seven year period between 2000 and 2007.

It is estimated that this would save the economy £890 million per year and go some way toward reducing the expenditure faced by insurance companies who have been forced to push up car insurance premiums in an attempt to remain profitable.

With young drivers in America, Australia and New Zealand already being banned from carrying similarly aged passengers; it is logical to assume that similar regulations will soon be employed in the UK. The potential dangers of distracting passengers should not be underestimated.

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