Find out which motoring habits annoy Queensland motorists the most, according to the RACQ’s ‘What drives you crazy’ survey.
Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) spokesperson Clare Hunter says the survey found that more than nine in ten Queenslanders rate tailgating the most “maddening” habit. Tailgating is the practice of following too closely behind the car in front.
But it’s not just annoying, suggests Ms Hunter, but can be dangerous too. In fact, potential danger was a factor in other annoying motoring habits.
“Time and time again, tailgating ranks as the number one most annoying habit,” Ms Hunter said. “And it’s a major problem because it puts unnecessary pressure on inexperienced drivers and leads to mistakes that cause crashes.
“This year, tailgating tied for the number-one spot on our list with incorrect indicating or failing to indicate at all.
“Indicating incorrectly not only affects those drivers around you, it’s a dangerous rule to ignore and could result in a bingle.”
Ms Hunter says survey respondents also pointed the finger at mobile-phone use and littering.
“Motorists using their mobile phones is one of the biggest growing problems on our roads,” she said. “Distraction is one of the Fatal Five. We implore motorists to take this seriously.
“Drivers who speed up when they’re being overtaken and those who litter also ruffle feathers. More than 90 per cent of those surveyed say these habits drive them crazy.”
Ms Hunter calls for good motoring behaviour from all drivers.
“If we all behave a little better on the roads and follow the rules, it’ll not only make the commute less stressful, but will mean our roads are a lot safer,” she said.
Top five annoying driving habits
- Tailgating (91.5 per cent of respondents find this annoying).
- Incorrect indicating or failure to do so (91.5 per cent).
- Texting or using handheld mobile phones (91.4 per cent).
- Increasing speed when being overtaken (90.6 per cent).
- Littering (90.1 per cent).
