Women take pole position in Yell.com motoring research - 31 March 2001
After years of debate between the sexes, Yell.com research reveals that UK men are more irresponsible behind the wheel.The research carried out by NOP on behalf of Yell.com examined the driving habits of motorists throughout the UK. Worryingly, 46% of men and 23% of women admit to using hand-held mobile-phones, despite the obvious risks. Even more worrying is the fact that almost one third of men ignore red lights or drive on the wrong side of the road.
The study follows the launch of the Yell.com motoring guide (www.yell.com/motoring), which offers drivers a complete motoring package. As well as men’s hazardous driving habits, the research reveals that over a quarter of UK women find male drivers the most frustrating aspect of driving.
Despite these antagonisms, British drivers are still keen to flirt with fellow motorists. According to the research, over a quarter of all the motorists questioned have chatted up other drivers in traffic jams. Twice as many men (thirty five percent) as women (seventeen percent) admitted to flirting with fellow drivers and oddly owners of purple cars proved the most forward, with over half admitting to being flirtatious drivers.
Nick Harknett, general manager, Yell.com, said, “Regardless of individual driving habits, Yell.com motoring is the perfect online pit stop for all motorists. It provides fast, reliable and relevant motoring information for those who are learning to drive, buying, selling or maintaining a car.”
Television and Virgin Car's motoring expert, Quentin Willson, is on hand on the site to offer potential car buyers top tips on the best places to buy a car and what to look for when choosing a new model. Quentin also provides invaluable advice on financing the purchase of a car and on how to get the best possible price when selling a car.
www.yellformotoringgame.com
Other key findings in the survey include:
· Despite their family and safety-conscious image, Volvo owners are Britain's most daring and outrageous drivers. They top the polls, with forty percent having undressed in their cars and sixty percent having indulged in romantic liaisons in their cars.
· Drivers of Toyota and Honda cars are the most reserved and prudish, with only fourteen percent admitting to ever having undressed in a car.
· Twenty-five percent of British drivers have undressed in their cars.
· Fifty percent have engaged in amorous activities in their cars.
· Forty-three percent of women pass the time on long journeys by day dreaming compared to only thirty-three percent of men.
· Women (thirty percent) are twice as keen as men (fifteen percent) to play games on long journeys.
· Owners of black cars are most keen to get undressed in their cars (thirty-five percent). Only Twenty-one percent of yellow car drivers have undressed in their cars.
Key regional findings include:
· Motorists from Hampshire are the most unabashed. A third have undressed in their cars and a half have engaged in amorous activities in their motors.
· Drivers from East Anglia are Britain's most reserved motorists, as only eleven percent have dared undress in their cars.
· Londoners proved by far to be the most dangerous drivers in the UK with almost half having spoken on a mobile whilst driving. Twenty-nine percent also admitted to ignoring a red light and thirty-three percent admitted to driving on the wrong side of the road.
· Almost fifty percent of Scots admitted to having driven the wrong way down a one way street. A quarter of Scots have also driven on the wrong side of the road.
