Potholes and inconsiderate motorists putting drivers off getting behind the wheel, survey reveals

4 July 2025, 16:20

A survey has found drivers are finding it less enjoyable getting behind the wheel, with potholes and aggressive drivers just some of the many reasons why.

The research, commissioned by the car finance company Carmoola, spoke with more than 2,000 drivers across the country.

The most popular reason for disliking driving - chosen by 49% of respondents - was inconsiderate motorists.

44% of respondents picked traffic jams as a grievance and 38% cited poor road conditions, with the latter including potholes.

The RAC estimates there are at least one million potholes across England and Wales at any given time.

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Additionally, a third of drivers said due to the build-up of urban traffic, they now avoid driving in cities altogether.

The figures also suggest congestion has increased in almost every British city in recent years, with the average UK driver losing 62 hours to traffic last year, which was mentioned by logistics company INRIX.

The survey discovered drivers from Glasgow, Birmingham, Cardiff and Southampton had the worst congestion, while Brighton had the clearest roads.

Aidan Rushby, chief executive of Carmoola, said: "We’ve uncovered a very human truth — that driving, once a symbol of freedom and adventure, has become something many people now dread.

"Just a quarter of Brits still view it as a source of escape, while over a third say it’s simply about getting from A to B.

"Shockingly, one in ten drivers even admitted to nodding off behind the wheel from sheer boredom."