New research from Vauxhall has revealed British motorists’ biggest pet peeves, with congestion, roadworks, and lane-hogging emerging as the top three annoyances on UK roads.
Of 2,000 British drivers surveyed, stop-start traffic (34%), delays caused by roadworks (27%), and drivers who unnecessarily occupy the middle and outside lanes (18%) contribute to the most irritation among UK motorists.
Despite lane-hogging ranking among the top three of Britain’s most frustrating driving behaviours, 91% of respondents felt confident they understood the rules around lane discipline and overtaking on motorways. UK regulations, outlined in the Highway Code (Rule 2641), mandate that drivers should consistently use the left-hand lane on motorways, reserving middle and right-hand lanes solely for overtaking. Unnecessary occupation of the middle lane, known as ‘middle lane hogging’, is classified as careless driving, and can result in penalties including fines and penalty points.
However, almost one-in-five drivers (19%) said they drive in the middle lane when there is little or no traffic around and 10% reported driving in the middle lane ‘whenever possible.’ Of these drivers, only a quarter (26%) admitted to receiving a fine or penalty points for consistently driving in the middle lane.
Reflecting the frustration caused by lane-hogging, over half (55%) of all drivers revealed they had undertaken someone driving slowly in the middle or outside lane of the motorway, rising to 62% among male drivers. 53% of all drivers also said they have been forced to brake hard or quickly change lanes to avoid a driver that was going slowly in the outside or middle lane of the motorway.
Vauxhall’s new top-of-the-line SUV, the Grandland, is available with Intelli-Drive 2.0 – the brand’s most advanced and intuitive driver assist technologies. The Grandland’s Semi-Automated Lane Change system ensures that once an overtake is completed, the vehicle smoothly and safely returns to the correct lane, helping to maintain the natural flow of traffic. 58% agreed driver assist features such as semi-automated lane change, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot detection could help improve the standards of driving on motorways.
In addition to addressing these major driving frustrations, Vauxhall’s Intelli-Drive 2.0 system includes a suite of advanced safety features designed to improve road safety. With over a third of the votes, congestion was the biggest driving frustration among UK drivers. To reduce the risk of collisions in traffic jams, Vauxhall’s Automatic Emergency Braking with In-Crash Braking continuously monitors traffic using a front camera and radar, detecting vehicles and potential hazards including pedestrians and cyclists. If a potential collision is identified and the driver does not react, the vehicle automatically decelerates to reduce the risk of an accident and at speeds below 30mph, the system can bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
Eurig Druce, Managing Director, Vauxhall, commented: “At Vauxhall, we recognise the everyday frustrations that British drivers face, from congestion and roadworks to the irritation of lane-hogging on motorways. That’s why we’ve equipped the Grandland with our most advanced Intelli-Drive 2.0 technology, designed to make driving safer and smoother. Features like Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go help manage stop-start traffic, while Semi-Automated Lane Change and Lane Change Assist help drivers move safely and efficiently on motorways. With advanced technology, and a focus on affordability, we’re committed to making driving as safe and pleasurable as possible for British motorists.”
The Vauxhall Grandland Electric sits at the top of Vauxhall’s fully refreshed SUV line-up and is the first Vauxhall based on the STLA Medium platform. It features a 73kWh (net) battery, a 213hp motor with 345Nm of torque and energy-saving features such as a standard-fit heat pump, enabling a range of up to 325 miles (WLTP) on a single charge. Thanks to 160kW rapid charging capability, a 20-80% charge takes just 26 minutes.
Vauxhall offers a fully electric version of every model in its car and van line-up, with the New
Grandland available to order now
1 Highway code Rule 264 You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. https://highwaycode.org.uk/?sf_paged=14#:~:text=Highway%20Code%20Rule%20264,as%20you%20are%20safely%20past.
SOURCE: Stellantis
