Revealed: the 10 most confusing cities for driving
356.5 billion miles were driven by vehicles on Great Britain’s roads during 2019!
With more and more people choosing cars over public transport, our roads are becoming more congested – causing many drivers to feel frustrated.
London voted the most confusing city for driving
26% of survey respondents found London really confusing for driving in, which comes as no surprise, because not only do you have to navigate the many tricky one way streets, but there are so many signs, bus lanes, pedestrian crossings – and erratic drivers and cyclists! – to contend with.
In second place is Birmingham (the Spaghetti Junction is notorious amongst drivers for its difficulty) followed by Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool.
32.2% of people think there are too many careless drivers on the road
The biggest frustration among drivers is when there are several lanes with no clear markings, with over 50% of Brits saying this annoys them. Other drivers find the number of cars on the road annoying, as well as situations when there are too many road signs.
Interestingly, 32.2% of drivers think there are too many careless drivers on the road, which means there’s just one extra thing to look out for when driving around the city.
In bigger cities, like London, lots of people prefer to take public transport to avoid getting stuck in a traffic jam on the road, and 34.5% said that they’d prefer to take the scenic route – even if it meant adding extra time to their journey - provided they could avoid driving in the city centre.
Despite motorways and A-roads only making up 13% of the UK’s total road networks by length, 62% of total miles are driven on them, which shows just how much drivers prefer to avoid city driving wherever possible!
Top tips for city driving
For drivers worried about city driving, Claudette Esprit, holistic driving instructor and founder of the New Concept Driving School, shares her top tips on how to ease worries:
1. Aromatherapy oils
Using in-car aromatherapy during driving can do wonders for your sense of wellbeing and goes a long way in helping you to stay calm and relaxed. Aromatherapy oils are well known for reducing stress levels and uplifting your mood. We suggest a couple of drops placed on your seat belt. Try lavender, lemon, or orange essential oils as they do wonders and make your car smell nice.
2. Rescue remedy sweets
Rescue remedy sweets work extremely well and are another great way to reduce worries when driving. It’s a natural remedy that may help to calm nerves in stressful situations.
3. Deep breathing
Deep Breathing can easily work in a car for those who are struggling with the frustrations of driving. You can simply work on deep breathing while you drive.
4. Listen to music
Listening to music while driving is a great way to reduce worry, especially when you’re stuck in heavy traffic. Listening to your favourite artist and singing is the best way to uplift your mood. Just ensure that your music doesn’t distract you from the road.
Brought to you by our car insurance experts at comparethemarket.com.
Methodology:
Survey of 1,500 drivers undertaken in December 2020 by The Leadership Factor.