Queenslanders name their ‘pet peeves’ on the road
Club spokesperson Tristan Vorias said not leaving enough space between you and the car in front is not only annoying for others, but extremely unsafe.
“Nearly every driver surveyed (95.3%) listed tailgating as a pet peeve and for good reason. It’s unnecessary, inconsiderate, and significantly increases your chance of having a crash,” Mr Vorias said.
Throwing litter out of vehicles was the second biggest pet peeve nominated (94.4%), followed by drivers increasing their speed as others try to overtake (94%), not being courteous (93.8%) and using their hand-held mobile phones (93%) behind the wheel.
“Drivers who throw litter out of their car, speed up when others are trying to overtake or cut off other motorists, are not only disrespectful, but also dangerous,” he said.
“When it comes to mobile phone use, if you’re looking at a screen, you’re not looking at the road and we know distraction is one of the Fatal Five driving behaviours that contribute to our terrible road toll.
“Already this year, more than 230 people have died on Queensland roads and we need to be looking out for each other to ensure everyone gets to their destination safely.
“Many of these bad driving behaviours also attract significant penalties and with cost-of-living pressures front of mind for so many Queenslanders, a fine is a complete waste of cash.
“Make sure you’re driving with all road users in mind so that you can save money and save lives.”
Top 10 most frustrating driving behaviours 2022*:
| Rank | Behaviour | Percentage of respondents who listed as a pet peeve |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorists who follow too closely / tailgate behind my vehicle | 95.3% |
|
2 |
Motorists who throw litter out of vehicles | 94.4% |
| 3 | Motorists who increase their speed when you try to overtake them | 94% |
| 4 | Motorists who are not courteous e.g., allowing room to merge/change lanes | 93.8% |
| 5 | Motorists talking/sending text messages on hand-held mobile phones | 93% |
| 6 | Motorists who incorrectly use indicators e.g., indicate too late or fail to indicate at all | 92.8% |
| 7 | Motorists who turn from the wrong lane e.g., at multi-lane roundabouts | 92.8% |
| 8 | Motorists who block intersections | 92.7% |
| 9 | Motorists who park incorrectly e.g., double parking or using disability parking spaces | 92.6% |
| 10 | Motorists displaying aggressive behaviour e.g., blowing horn, verbal abuse, or hand signals | 91.5% |
*RACQ Annual Road Safety Survey 2022