The Impact Of Driving Anxiety On UK Motorists

Driving Anxiety Is More Common Than Many People Realise

Not everyone enjoys driving, in fact, many of us experience feelings of anxiety that can stop us from visiting certain locations, avoid heading out at specific times of the day, or even prevent us from purchasing new cars or getting behind the wheel at all.

We wanted to unearth just how much of an issue anxiety while driving can be for some, so we conducted a survey to find out more, looking at everything from driving in poor weather conditions to parking in front of others.

Just how certain demographics (younger drivers and women) are affected more than others makes for some interesting reading.

Read on to find out more.

Nearly a Quarter of Drivers Avoid Driving

Avoidance is a classic safety behaviour. Our survey found that almost a quarter of drivers (23%) actively avoid driving as much as possible.

At 25%, women are slightly more likely than men (21%) to avoid driving if possible.

Looking at how this plays out across different age groups, the most likely to avoid driving are young drivers (18-24), with 36% saying they avoid it whenever possible, and almost half (48%) admitting they become a more anxious driver when ferrying passengers.

The least likely to avoid driving due to anxiety are those aged 45-54, with only 19% agreeing with the statement. This is likely down to experience behind the wheel, the more you drive, the easier and more like second nature it becomes.

The survey highlighted regional differences too. Drivers in Yorkshire and The Humber are the most likely to avoid driving (28%), closely followed by those in Greater London (27%). Meanwhile, drivers in the East Midlands are the least likely to avoid getting behind the wheel, with just 17% reporting avoidance.

Breaking it down by city, Norwich drivers are the top avoiders (29%) followed by Leeds (28%) then London (27%). Liverpool, on the other hand, is home to drivers least likely to avoid driving (13%).

These figures alone suggest that a large proportion of drivers in the UK are actively avoiding driving due to their anxiety around it, potentially making life harder for themselves.

Passengers Can Add Extra Pressure

For some drivers, having company in the car is not always a welcome addition as it adds pressure that can fuel anxiety.

Almost a third of our drivers polled (32%) say they feel more anxious when driving with passengers than when driving alone. It’s likely that if you were already a nervous driver, the presence of friends or family being witness to potential mistakes is not a great help.

Women seem to be more affected, with 36% saying passengers make them more anxious compared to 28% of men.

Younger drivers, again, likely due to inexperience behind the wheel, are the most affected group. Nearly half of drivers aged 18-24 (48%) report feeling more anxious when carrying passengers. Those aged 25-34 years old report similar, with 40% agreeing. Drivers aged over 55 are far less likely to feel additional anxiety when passengers are present, with just 25% reporting this concern.

From these results, it’s clear that experience behind the wheel is a factor when feeling anxiety and carrying passengers.

Anxiety Is Causing Drivers to Avoid Certain Journeys

Not all routes are created equal, and drivers up and down the country will know only too well of certain routes that are trickier to navigate than others. But does it put us off visiting certain locations? Our survey found it does.

Over a third of drivers (35%) say they have avoided driving somewhere because of anxiety, meaning it is actually changing their behaviour.

Again, women are significantly more likely than men to have avoided a journey due to anxiety, with 41% reporting this compared to 29% of men.

Drivers with less experience on the road (18-24 year olds) are most likely to avoid driving somewhere (46%) because of anxiety. And it’s a similar story for drivers aged 25-34 (40%) and 35-44 (38%).

In contrast, only three in ten (29%) over 55’s are likely to avoid journeys.

Many Drivers Take Longer Routes to Avoid Stress

For others, driving anxiety might not put you off driving to a location altogether, but instead force you to take a longer, less anxiety inducing route instead.

Four in ten drivers (40%) say they have deliberately taken a longer route to avoid specific roads, junctions or driving situations that make them uncomfortable.

Looking at the gender split, women are slightly more likely to do this than men (42% versus 38%).

Breaking down the results by age, we can see that half of drivers aged 25-34 (52%) say they have altered their route to avoid certain roads, while almost half of 18-24-year-olds (48%) have done the same.

The least likely to change their routes are drivers aged over 55, however, 35% of them still admit to doing so, which is still quite sizable in isolation.

Taking an alternative route is a type of avoidance, and although it may provide short-term relief, it has been reported by experts that repeatedly avoiding challenging driving situations can reinforce anxiety over time, making it harder to build confidence.

Parking Anxiety Remains a Major Concern

Up to now, we’ve focused on driving, but parking is another major source of anxiety for many drivers.

In fact, more than a third (36%) of drivers polled say they feel anxious when parking in front of other people. Whether it's fear of making a mistake, holding up traffic or being judged by onlookers, parking anxiety appears to be a common issue.

Younger drivers aged 18-24 and women are most likely to experience anxiety about parking, according to our survey results, with 51% and 47% reporting it, respectively. For men, this figure falls considerably to 27%

Although not as big a concern for those aged over 55, a high proportion (32%) still report feeling uncomfortable when parking.

What Makes Drivers Most Anxious?

When asked what made them most anxious when driving, one concern stood out above all others for our respondents: Driving at night or in poor conditions.

This was the biggest source of anxiety for 38% of drivers. And we get it, poor conditions and nighttime driving often result in reduced visibility and increased uncertainty, all of which can heighten stress levels for even the most seasoned of drivers.

Driving somewhere unfamiliar was the second most common concern, selected by 27% of drivers, while 25% said driving in busy towns and cities was their greatest source of anxiety.

Motorway driving is another driving scenario often cited by many as anxiety-inducing. In our survey, 20% of women said it made them anxious, compared to just 8% of men. Conversely, men were almost twice as likely as women to identify wildlife on or near roads as their biggest concern (13% versus 7%).

Interestingly, drivers aged 18-24 were the only group not to rank driving at night or in poor conditions as their biggest concern. Instead, motorway driving topped the list for them, with 25% identifying it as their primary source of anxiety, suggesting that higher-speed roads and merging with fast-moving traffic present greater psychological barriers than reduced visibility.

For drivers aged over 55, poor weather and night driving were by far the biggest concerns, selected by nearly half (49%) of respondents.

There is potential science behind this, as age affects the quality of our eyesight, with many over 40’s developing presbyopia, a condition where your eyes find it harder to focus on things up close.

Understanding and Addressing Driving Anxiety

The findings demonstrate that driving anxiety is widespread and affects people in different ways depending on their age, gender and circumstances.

While experienced drivers often develop confidence over time, younger motorists appear particularly vulnerable to anxiety-related behaviours, including avoiding journeys, changing routes and feeling uncomfortable with passengers.

Recognising that driving anxiety is common is an important first step. Whether it's motorway driving, parking, unfamiliar routes or poor weather conditions, understanding the triggers behind these feelings can help drivers gradually build confidence and regain control behind the wheel.

As the research shows, driving anxiety is far from rare. For many motorists across the UK, it is a daily reality that shapes how, when and where they travel.

Alex Lee, Automotive Expert at Dick Lovett, commented:

“The findings of our survey highlight how the issue of driving anxiety is far more common than people might expect, and by no means limited to younger and newly qualified drivers.

“While experience behind the wheel helps to build up confidence over time, many motorists are changing how, when and even where they drive - whether that’s by avoiding motorways, taking longer routes or steering clear of unfamiliar journeys altogether.

“One encouraging takeaway is that this type of anxiety can be reduced over time through regular driving and gradually exposing yourself to situations you find challenging. Planning journeys in advance, driving during quieter periods and building up to more demanding routes can all make a real difference.

“It’s important to recognise that driving anxiety is something that many can overcome with a little patience, practice and experience.”