Are you a backseat driver? 20 signs that you're a terrible passenger

• Backseat drivers are those who think they know better or critique how you drive
• A survey of 2,000 motorists has revealed the biggest telltale signs of one
• Are you guilty of any of the 20 backseat driver misdemeanours identified? 

Backseat drivers… we all know one. That person you hate to have in the car as a passenger who always thinks they know better or is quick to critique how you perform behind the wheel.

But have you considered that you might also be one?

A new survey has revealed 20 telltale signs of a backseat driver, as voted by motorists in Britain.

The big question is, are you guilty of any of the misdemeanours listed?

Are you a terrible passenger in a car? A new study has revealed the 20 biggest signs of a backseat driver. Now ask yourself if you’re guilty of any of them

The backseat driver study has been conducted by Webuyanycar, polling 2,000 motorists to understand characteristics displayed by terrible passengers.

And it revealed that more than a third (35 per cent) of Britons insist their other half is a backseat driver because they are incapable of not interfering when they’re on the road.

Motorists were asked about the traits they most commonly associated with an awful passenger in their car, with 20 identified as clear signs of backseat-driver behaviour.

Making constant gasping noises when the car gets too close to the vehicle in front was the most common sign of poor passenger antics, voted for by 52 per cent of the panel.

Shouting directions (51 per cent) was second in the list of backseat driver actions, while statements like “watch out for that cyclist” (48 per cent) and constant suggestions about the route being taken, such as “I wouldn’t have come this way” (48 per cent) were also considered telltale signs.

Passengers telling the driver to slow down (47 per cent) or speed up (34 per cent) were also instances found to drive the nation’s motorists up the wall.

More than two in five (44 per cent) also said they hate it when a passenger continually jumps out of their seat at the slightest braking moment, while 38 per cent told Webuyanycar that they can’t stand it when a backseat driver dramatically presses down on an imaginary brake pedal if they want the driver to slow down.

Signs that you might be a backseat driver 

1. Gasping when the driver gets too close to the car in front: 52%

2. Giving directions like ‘left left!’: 51%

3. Shouting ‘watch the cyclist’: 49%

4. Proclaiming ‘I wouldn’t have come this way’: 48%

5. Ordering the driver to slow down: 47%

6. Shouting ‘brake!’: 46%

7. Gasping at the slightest braking moment: 44%

8. Pressing on an imaginary brake from the passenger side: 38%

9. Complaining about the parking space the driver has chosen: 37%

10. Telling the driver to ‘get in the other lane’: 35%

=11. Telling the driver to speed up: 34%

=11. Flinching when the driver passes ‘too close’ to a parked car: 34%

=11. Leaning over and turning on the driver’s indicator: 34%

=14. Leaning over and honking the horn: 31%

=14. Grabbing the steering wheel: 31%

16. Shouting abuse at other road users on the driver’s behalf: 29%

=17. Telling the driver off for not thanking someone: 27%

=17. Holding on to your seat belt for dear life: 27%

19. Making rude hand signs to other motorists: 24%

20. Changing the radio station: 23%

Source: Webuyanycar survey of 2,000 drivers in Britain

Passengers trying to give directions to the driver – when not asked to – is among the biggest telltale signs of a backseat driver, according to a recent poll

Richard Evans, head of technical services for the car selling site, said: ‘It’s evident from the research that backseat driving is an ever-present challenge for the nation’s motorists.

‘Many of us have experienced the frustration of having to ferry around a backseat driver – or perhaps the frustration of being one ourselves – and it’s clearly something that can make even the smallest journey stressful.

‘While we may not be able to stop a backseat driver adding more pressure to your journey, we can certainly take the stress away when it comes to selling your car, with a hassle-free process from quote to sale in less than an hour.’

Other signs of a backseat driver include complaining about the chosen parking space (37 per cent), constantly saying they need to “get in the other lane” (35 per cent), leaning over to turn on, or off, the indicator (34 per cent), grabbing the steering wheel (31 per cent) and shouting abuse at other road users on the driver’s behalf (29 per cent).

The research also reveals that a third (34 per cent) get riled up when a passenger flinches when the car passes too close to a parked vehicle and more than three in ten (31 per cent) find someone leaning over and honking the horn annoying.

A third (33 per cent) also get annoyed when their partner interrupts them when driving, with 27 per cent saying it makes them angry.

In fact, two thirds (63 per cent) say a problematic backseat driver causes arguments on a journey, with an average of three confrontations per trip.

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