It’s official: Bristol is home to Britain’s best drivers, according to a new study.

Researchers polled the nation on a number of measures to determine where the best drivers came from, and Bristol emerged as the leaders.

An impressive 81 per cent of motorists from Bristol insisted they would pass their driving test with flying colours, if they had to take it again tomorrow.

Only Southampton (82 per cent) scored higher on this measure, Edinburgh shared joint second with Bristol (81 per cent), with Sheffield and Liverpool slightly less confident with 77 per cent and 76 per cent respectively.

However, Bristol also topped the charts when motorists were asked if they have improved as a driver with 72 per cent saying that they'd got better behind the wheel as they got older, much higher than the national average of 64 per cent.

It was also the city where people passed their test the youngest - at the tender age of 21 years old and nearly a third of (31 per cent) of drivers passed as soon as they could - at the age of 17.

And if you’re anxious on the road, avoid Brighton where people rated themselves as amongst the worst drivers with just half of them (56 per cent) feeling confident that they’d pass their test if they took it again tomorrow.

The research, commissioned by Privilege Insurance, also discovered that women drivers are THREE TIMES safer than men on the road.

Researchers polled British drivers and discovered 39 per cent of us think women are the more careful, compared to just 13 per cent who thought men were the most competent.

In fact according to the data, a quarter of the men polled (24 per cent) were prepared to admit that the fairer sex are safer behind the wheel.

However, when it comes to getting somewhere in a hurry, the tables are very much reversed, with two in three of those polled insisting men will get you to your destination fastest.

They also revealed that women are the most easily distracted according to 37 per cent of drivers - over twice the amount who said men (18 per cent).

Men were considered to be the most knowledgeable when it came to the rules of the road according to two in five drivers (38 per cent), while only eight per cent said women.

The data also revealed how, as well as being safer, women are now passing their test at exactly the same age as their male counterparts – 28.

This is a significant change from the 1980s, when the average male passed his test at the age of 20, compared with women who tore up their L Plates at 24.

The data also goes further back, revealing Brits passed their test at even younger ages in the swinging 60s.

Privilege Insurance discovered that in the 1960s the average driver passed at 19, taking on average 1.6 attempts, while today we pass at the ripe old age of 28 and need, on average, two goes to get it right.

Charlotte Fielding, Head of Privilege Car Insurance, said “Learning to drive and pass your test is one of life’s important milestones and while this generation is taking longer to pass, that is no bad thing. It is crucial they take the necessary time required as our roads continue to get busier and busier.

“At Privilege we welcome drivers with years of experience as well as those who have just passed their test. Customers who consider themselves a safe driver should think about opting for telematics insurance, as the safer you drive, the more you can potentially save on your insurance.”

Both women and men tend to rate their partner’s driving skills favourably with only one in fifty people saying their other half thought they were a “terrible” driver.

By contrast, a confident 85 per cent of people with partners reckoned their other half would be more than complimentary about their motoring ability.

 

-ends-

 

For more information, please contact: Georgia Andrewes at Richmond & Towers: 

[email protected] / 020 3179 0720

 

Notes to editors:

Research carried out amongst a nationally representative sample of 2000 UK adults by Opinium Research between 2nd October and 8thNovember 2018.

Additional information sourced from a DVLA Freedom of Information request

 

Privilege

Privilege Insurance specialises in car insurance for safe drivers. It also offers home insurance and breakdown cover by phone or on-line.

 

Privilege general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

 

Privilege and UK Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.  

 

Customers can find out more about Privilege’s products or get a quote by calling

0345 246 0515 or visiting www.privilege.co.uk