·         One in 10 (10 per cent) drivers have missed getting lost

·         A fifth of drivers (22 per cent) want the privacy and alone time that they get from driving

·         2.3 million drivers have had dreams about driving during lockdown

·         One in eight  drivers say they have used DIY to cope with driving withdrawals

·         Green Flag research reveals the top 10 driving pleasures Brits have missed the most whilst in lockdown

 

London, UK, Tuesday 2^nd June – As the Government lockdown restrictions ease further from this week, breakdown cover provider, Green Flag has delved into the driving pleasures motorists have missed the most over the past weeks. Research** has revealed the nation’s most missed driving pastimes, as well as what drivers missed which they used to find annoying.

 

Driving Pleasures Brits Have Missed the Most During Lockdown

 

Topping the list of pleasures UK drivers have missed the most, since cutting back on driving, is the freedom of the open road (30 per cent). Cruising along in the countryside (25 per cent) and singing along to the radio (23 per cent) also made the top 10.

 

During lockdown, 8.7 million (22 per cent) of us claim to have missed the privacy and alone time that driving normally gives us. One in five (20 per cent) actually miss the ability to use driving as a means to clear their heads and a similar number (22 per cent) said the feeling of being in control, which driving offers, is something they have lacked.

 

Even Former Pet Peeves are Now Missed

 

Traffic topped the list of things motorists missed most about driving that they’d previously found annoying. Almost 10 million drivers ***(25 per cent) have actually missed the experience of sitting in a traffic jam. Further startling revelations included: one in eight (13 per cent) missing wiping birds’ mess off the windscreen, whilst over a tenth (12 per cent) missed queuing at the petrol pump. Meanwhile, one in ten drivers have even been left pining for poor navigation, with 10 per cent admitting that they have been longing to get lost, just driving nowhere.

But we’re not just daydreaming about driving, a significant number of drivers polled have missed it so much during lockdown, that they experienced withdrawal behaviours. One in 20 (five per cent) have had dreams about driving, and another 1 in 20 (six per cent) have found themselves driving in their sleep

 

What’s more, many drivers have found novel ways to cope with their withdrawal. Around one in six (16 per cent) say they have used online shopping to combat missing driving, while almost one in eight (12 per cent) say they have used DIY as a coping mechanism.

Post-Lockdown Fears

 

Despite missing driving, Brits still plan to be cautious as driving restrictions lift. Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) said they plan to continue only using their car for essential journeys compared to only one in ten (10 per cent) who said they plan to go back to driving daily.

 

When it comes to the factors that may be deterring people from getting back in their cars, the research also revealed the biggest post-pandemic fears motorists are most worried about. Traffic becoming worse than ever before is the top worry for many (38 per cent). Parking becoming more problematic as people avoid public transport is also a huge concern, with well over a third (37 per cent) identifying this issue. Around a quarter also worry about having to be aware of increased numbers of pedestrians and cyclists when they return to driving more frequently (24 per cent).

 

Mark Newberry, Commercial Director of Green Flag said: “It’s clear that motorists have mixed feelings when it comes to returning to the roads. On the one hand, it seems they are eager to get back to enjoying the ease and freedom that car ownership allows, but on the other, there is a nervousness surrounding increased traffic and parking difficulties as Brits return to normality potentially opting for the road over other forms of transport.

 

The research shows drivers recognise that the roads will be a very different place following the Covid-19 pandemic, with many more cyclists’ present. At Green Flag, we encourage drivers to be especially vigilant at this time and stay safe.

- ENDS –

Notes to Editors:

For questions please contact [email protected]

*Estimates based on the amount of GB licensed vehicles at the end of 2019.

**Research was conducted by Atomik Research among 2,003 respondents from the UK, they were all drivers that had cut down on driving since lockdown. The research fieldwork took place on 15th May – 18th May 2020.

Atomik Research is an independent creative market research agency that employs MRS-certified researchers and abides to MRS code.

*** precise estimate, based on the amount of GB licensed vehicles at the end of 2019, is 9,975,000 people

Green Flag:

With over 40 years' experience, Green Flag provides customers with breakdown cover 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Customers have access to a network of breakdown operators across the UK and mainland Europe (Euro Plus cover required).

Green Flag Motoring Assistance is 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

Green Flag and U K Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc. 

Customers can find out more about Green Flag products or get a quote by calling 0345 246 1557, connecting via the Green Flag Rescue Me Application, or visiting www.greenflag.com