Testing times for parent drivers

If you have been asked to take your driving test right now, do you feel you would pass?

Several parents are not also positive. In a survey by the Goodyear Driving Academy, an interactive on the web tool that promotes road safety amongst young men and women, practically 3 quarters of mums and dads (72%) believed they would fail if they had to take the test again.

It is a bit worrying, actually. Here are the principal locations of concern…

Memory issues

An alarming proportion of parents are baffled by the rules of the road – 37% claim they do not understand all the ‘new’ regulations.

They are forgetful, too, particularly the females.One particular in 5 female drivers (22%) say they can no longer don’;t forget much of their instruction.

Poor habits

Then there are all those undesirable habits. Nearly half of parents (48%) admit they have picked up bad habits because they very first passed their driving test.

Consuming at the wheel is a single of the most widespread, with about half of parents munching whilst they drive.

Mobile menace

It gets worse. About a quarter (23%) have read a text message whilst on the move, which is downright harmful, not to mention illegal. The number is even greater amongst young parents, at 30% for these below the age of 30.

Talking of unsafe, far more than 1 in 10 confesses to driving by means of a red light at a targeted traffic junction.

See how some of the MoneySuperMarket group got on when they took their test again…
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Road rage

Road rage is one more undesirable habit – and if you are expecting gender stereotypical behaviour, you will be disappointed. It turns out that road rage is much more common amongst women than guys.

The survey identified that 20% of mums had knowledgeable road rage compared with 17% of dads.

Role models

What’s going on? Do parents not realise that kids mimic their behaviour? Maybe not. Practically half (44%) fondly picture their driving habits will have no influence on their children, although over a third (36%) think it will only impact children who are at least 14 years old.

Back seat drivers

At least the youngsters have got far more sense than their parents. Apparently, 15% of parents have been told off by their children when driving and a third of all parents (33%) lack self-confidence if their young children are sitting in the back seat, which is hardly surprising if they are consuming, texting and operating red lights on a regular basis

Kate Rock, spokesperson for the Goodyear Driving Academy, is admirably restrained: “It is understandable that parents’ driving expertise is most likely to deteriorate more than time and this lack of self-confidence is reflected in the huge numbers of parents who do not feel they’d pass their driving test once more.

“Parents play a hugely influential function in their children’s improvement and could be passing undesirable habits on, especially when it comes to frequent “ferrying about” in the auto. We want to support these folks to assistance their child’s young driver education from a much earlier age but they should very first make sure that their personal driving abilities are up to scratch.”

Generation gaps

So who are these men and women? Must they be allowed on the road? They certainly shouldn’t teach any individual else to drive, and but 40% would happily give lessons to a friend or relative.

Mike Frisby, chief examiner at the Driving Instructors Association, is surprisingly forgiving: “Many parents are not undesirable drivers, they just fail to update their expertise and fall into bad habits over time, escalating their threat when driving.

“They require to be conscious of the very influential part they play in young driver education, and that their youngsters even though passengers in the auto, can choose up on their habits from a extremely young age.

“By consciously displaying excellent driving habits and behaviours, it is more probably that their children will become safer drivers in the future.”

So if you do not want to raise a generation of unsafe drivers, it’s time to kick these undesirable habits and sharpen up these expertise. You know who you are!

Goodyear Driving Academy has launched its ‘Parent Pack’ to support parents brush up on capabilities and play a a lot more conscious part in their child’s early driver education.

Study far more! How ‘Parent Taxis’ can breed much better drivers.

Testing times for parent drivers