Emotions lead us into trouble on the road

FACE: Confused.com has surveyed emotional motorists. TVs James Corden is the new face of its adverts.

A survey by Confused.com has revealed that one in ten Yorkshire drivers have committed a motoring offence due to being emotional at the wheel.

The poll of UK drivers revealed that 4.5 million motorists admit to transgressions such as running red lights or speeding, as a result of feeling impassioned. It turns out 12 per cent of drivers in Yorkshire alone do this.

Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, said: “What’s worrying about our findings is that over half of the nation don’t believe their emotions impact their ability to drive. And yet our research overwhelmingly tells us that they do.

“With a third of all emotion-based accidents or near misses – over one million each year - being triggered by anger for one reason or another, it’s critical that we keep our emotions in check while we’re on the road. Drivers in the West Midlands may be found to be the region that commits the most motoring offences, but those within Northern Ireland seem to be the most argumentative behind the wheel.

The survey also shows that 3.2 million drivers in the UK have had an accident or near miss as a result of their feelings, however Yorkshire drivers are the least likely with only three percent admitting to this. This is despite just over half of UK motorists believing that their emotional state behind the wheel does not impact their ability to drive.

The motoring editor added: “Refusing to get embroiled in an argument while driving – or letting your feelings affect you – is key to road safety. Drivers that do find themselves involved in road accidents caused by their emotions will need to notify their insurer, which could result in increased insurance premiums. To save money on your essential car costs, from insurance to MOTs, visit the motor experts at Confused.com.”

Following the findings, Confused.com has teamed up with TV behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings to explore the ways in which driving under the influence of emotions impacts our mind, body and actions, and therefore our ability to drive safely.

Together they have explored the effects of emotions and developed an interactive web tool featuring emojis like anger, excitement, sadness, exhaustion, happiness, stress and worry. It follows the revelation that drivers don’t take their emotions seriously whilst driving. Take the test at www.confused.com/car-insurance/driving-emotions.