The poll of 12,014 drivers found that a fifth (19%) of drivers are hacked off by middle lane hoggers, while one in six (16%) get annoyed at drivers picking up and using a mobile phone when they are behind the wheel.
This most recent survey shows that the menace of tailgating remains the biggest bugbear when out on the road, with previous studies carried out by AA Accident Assist in 2023 highlighting driver frustration Similarly, more than half (55%) of drivers say that tailgating has been getting worse in recent years.
The AA’s most irritating driver behaviours 2025
1. Tailgating – 27%
2. Middle lane hogging – 19%
3. Using a hand-held mobile phone – 16%
4. Swooping (cutting across lanes) – 8%
5. Speeding – 8%
6. Littering – 6%
7. Driving slowly – 5%
8. Undertaking – 5%
9. Drivers playing with a phone docked in a cradle – 3%
10. Drivers playing with the car infotainment system – 2%
11. People not wearing a seatbelt – 1%
The survey also highlights dangerous behaviours such as not wearing a seatbelt, speeding and undertaking. Drivers also get irked by others being distracted with things in their car such as a mobile phone docked in a cradle and playing with the car’s infotainment system.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at The AA, said: “Experienced far too often, being tailgated remains the behaviour that drivers hate the most. It’s little wonder – feeling pressured from the vehicle behind, worrying about if they will stop in time if you need to slam the brakes in an emergency and headlights glaring into mirrors all create a stressful experience.”
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