agent Entrepreneur logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

What Riles Drivers Most

Study shows top pet peeves, along with drivers’ secret judgments about other motorists.

June 19, 2024
What Riles Drivers Most

Over a quarter of poll respondents say they themselves are innocent of the hated trespasses.

Credit:

Pexels/Roman Pohorecki

2 min to read


A poll confirms what most drivers already knew: Driving can be a pain in the you know what. The results reveal just which irritants rankle the most.

At the top of drivers’ pet peeves list, as revealed in the LendingTree survey, sits texting while driving, a practice that’s illegal in most states but that happens nonetheless.

Ad Loading...

More than half of drivers who acknowledge having pet peeves on the road – and 92% say they have them – point to texting drivers as the worst of them. The most common peeving offense among respondents who admitted to committing them is, you guessed it, texting while driving.

“Texting while driving is deadly and inexcusable,” says LendingTree auto insurance specialist Rob Bhatt. “In the amount of time it takes to send a note or check your screen, you can miss seeing cars stopped in unexpected freeway traffic in front of you or a worker on the side of the road. It’s 100% avoidable.”

The poll found the second- and third-ranking pet peeves are driving slowly in a passing lane, 44%, and drivers who block fellow travelers from merging, 41%.

Perhaps ironically, 27% of poll respondents say they themselves are innocent of such trespasses.

Irritating other drivers can of course have consequences. The study found the unsurprising fact that driving can raise people’s dander.

Ad Loading...

Half of respondents said they’ve experienced what they consider road rage, and half of those said it moved them to drive aggressively. Traffic tempers were more common among men – 56% versus 43% of women, and especially among the youngest drivers – 62% of generation Z drivers and 59% of millennial ones.

The poll revealed other interesting road habits and prejudices. For more detail, visit the test results page.

LEARN MORE: Most Drivers Would Accept Speed-Warning Tech

 

 

 

Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today

More Industry

Blue and white RV parked on beach facing the ocean.
Industryby Lauren LawrenceSeptember 3, 2026

RV Group Expands Carolina Footprint

Blue Compass RV Columbia Northeast is the 13th RV dealership owned by Blue Compass in the Carolinas.

Read More →
Photo of two men and one woman on a discussion panel
Industryby Hannah MitchellSeptember 1, 2026

Agent Acumen

An Agent Summit panel of people who’ve been supporting auto dealers for years gave both timely and timeless advice for those starting out or mulling the prospect.

Read More →
Gloved hand holding two wrenches next to “Turn Overdue into Opportunity” Graphic
Industryby Lauren LawrenceAugust 27, 2026

Missed Maintenance Creates Opportunity

As families get back on the road and into daily school routines, service drives have an opportunity to capture customers who are behind on recommended vehicle maintenance.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Mitsubishi shadow line-up
Industryby Hannah MitchellAugust 25, 2026

Mitsubishi Unveils U.S. Plan

The automaker announced a strategy that includes an expanded lineup and dealership presence, along with more ‘rugged’ and electric models.

Read More →
Photo of a laptop, cellphone and eyeglasses on a desk next to an office window
IndustryAugust 24, 2026

Selling to Grow

The question of whether you should sell your agency and if so, when, is up to you. But it’s a question worth asking to ensure you keep the business on the right path for yourself, employees and clients.

Read More →
Mechanic holding a vehicle diagnostic device while standing above an open car hood
Industryby Hannah MitchellAugust 24, 2026

Recalled Vehicles Hit 5-Year High

Though the number of events has fallen so far this year, impacted units are up significantly. Meanwhile, regulators consider consumer notification changes.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
outside of car dealership with cars parked in front
Industryby Lauren LawrenceAugust 20, 2026

Auto Group Acquires Top-Performing Rooftop

Car Pros sold its Kia Huntington Beach location to Sutherlin Automotive Group, marking the buyer’s third location in Southern California.

Read More →
Cars from the rear on a Shanghai freeway
Industryby Hannah MitchellAugust 19, 2026

China as Pacesetter

Automotive leaders huddled on where North America stands in the global picture and how it can strengthen its position against the Asian juggernaut’s surging industry.

Read More →
Orange BMW car on empty road.
Industryby Hannah MitchellAugust 14, 2026

BMW Concept Car Makes Fuel to Burn

The prototype developed in concert with a South Carolina university engineering team generates more solar energy than it uses in a typical daily commute.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Six men standing for photo outside of car dealership
Industryby Lauren LawrenceAugust 13, 2026

South Carolina Auto Group Downsizes

Florida-based group Holler-Classic has acquired four rooftops, its first in South Carolina, from Dick Smith Automotive Group.

Read More →
Ad Loading...