New research of 2,000 UK motorists, conducted by Vertu Motors, has delved into the behaviours and habits of other drivers that cause the most frustration on the road.

The responses suggest that almost half of the drivers say tailgating is the most annoying habit (47%), while 34% chose to fail to indicate as their biggest frustration. Not only is using your phone while driving against the Highway Code, but 27% of drivers consider it one of the most irritating behaviours of other motorists.

Furthermore, according to a fifth of respondents (20%), driving with lights on full beam is one of the worst offences other motorists can commit on the road. Staying in the middle lane on the motorway and taking up two parking spaces completed the UK’s most annoying driving habits, with both being chosen as bugbears by 17% of UK motorists.

The researchers say that only ten per cent of motorists say speeding is one of the most annoying habits of other drivers.

Last year, research by Vertu Motors found that 44% of drivers had never refreshed their knowledge of the Highway Code, despite it being regularly updated and changed. Motorists admitted they had only read the code before they passed their driving test and then never again.

The company says that. with tailgating being revealed as the most annoying driving habit – and one of the most common too – it’s essential that motorists understand how much distance they should leave between vehicles.

As stated in the Highway Code, drivers should allow at least a two-second gap between themselves and the vehicle in front. In harsher weather conditions, such as ice or heavy rain, this two-second gap should be extended to at least four seconds to account for the reduced grip on the roads. Adhering to the Highway Code is mandatory for road safety and will help drivers to be more considerate on the roads.

(File picture – RAC)