Survey reveals main irritations for van drivers

In a new survey from AA Accident Assist, the thing that irritated van drivers most was tailgating (29%), closely followed by middle lane hogging and mobile phone use (21%).

Women are most annoyed by a vehicle that is too close to their back bumper, with 34% identifying it as the most irritating driver behaviour compared to 27% of men.

The poll of 13,400 drivers also found that that a third (32%) are unaware of or choose to ignore the two-second rule. Drivers’ lack of adherence to the two-second distance rule has particularly negative consequences in the winter as data shows that accidents caused by vehicles driving too close to the ones in front and failing to stop in time increase by a quarter. Furthermore, more than 10% of rear-end crashes lead to concertina shunts, involving at least three vehicles. Tim Rankin, managing director of AA Accident Assist, said:

We’re coming to the time of year where playing fast and loose with a safe distance from the vehicle in front is much more likely to end in disaster. If you crash into the back of someone or hear a vehicle being hit further behind, we now know that there is more than a one in 10 chance that the impact will lead to a shunt down a line of cars. Applying the handbrake when stationary is the companion to following the two second rule. Both prevent needless damage and injury, particularly whiplash and worse for older and more fragile car occupants.

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