Whilst in the car, 33 hours a year is spent driving to and from the supermarket, 35 hours driving to meet friends and family and 13 hours spent taking children to social events.

A further 32 hours is spent on household errands, 63 hours a year simply driving to and from work, and even 12 hours driving to the gym.

With all this time spent in the car, it’s no wonder that 59 per cent agree that it’s a great opportunity for some thinking time, and over half (52 per cent) of drivers are glad to have a break from their phones.

The research, by Privilege Car Insurance, found that for parents, a third (33 per cent) agree that time spent alone in the car also offers them some welcome respite from their on-the-move kids.

Instead of finding being in the car a chore, a huge 86 per cent are enjoying the radio, with two thirds of drivers (67 per cent) confessing to singing along to music at the top of their voice.

Pop hits take the top spot for singalong choice, with rock, power ballads and R&B tracks also making the list.

Meanwhile, one in four (26 per cent) drivers are using their car time to listen to a podcast or audio book, with over a quarter (27 per cent) even taking this time to meditate or focus on their breathing for a truly mindful experience.

Although, it’s not zen in the car for everyone, because we also spend three and a half weeks of our lives shouting or swearing at other people on the roads, and a painful five weeks just searching for a parking space.

And even though 8.4 hours a year is used setting up the sat-nav, a further 8.7 hours are spent getting lost.

For car companionship, half (49 per cent) say that their partner is their favourite passenger, with children and friends also making the list.

Poor dad is the least favoured car companion, with just five per cent wanting to spend time in the car with him.

Our love affair with our cars can certainly be displayed through the fact that 4.7 million British drivers choose to give their beloved car a name, with Poppy, Dolly and The Beast all the UK’s popular choices.

People from Plymouth spend the most time in their cars, 416 hours per year, whilst people from Brighton spend the least time, 232 hours per year.

Charlotte Fielding, head of Privilege Car Insurance, said, “This research has shown what a significant amount of our lives is being spent in our cars – who knew how much time we spent driving to work, or simply going to and from the supermarket for example?

“Whether getting from ‘A to B’ or enjoying our own space and time, there’s no doubt we spend a considerable amount of time in our cars. It is, therefore, important that we take care of ourselves and other road users by driving safely and remembering to consider everyone else on the roads.”

Top places Brits drive to (hours/year):

  1. Work – 63 hours
  2.  To meet family or friends – 35 hours
  3. Supermarket – 33 hours
  4. Household errands – 32 hours
  5. Shopping centre – 24 hours
  6. Giving friends or family a lift – 21 hours
  7. Taking kids to activities – 14 hours
  8. Taking kids to social events – 13 hours
  9. The gym or fitness classes – 12 hours
  10. Taking the kids to school – 11 hours

Hours / Year Spent in Car by City:

  1. Plymouth – 416 hours
  2. London – 393 hours
  3. Liverpool – 357 hours
  4. Norwich – 341 hours
  5. Glasgow – 333 hours
  6. Leeds – 333 hours
  7. Sheffield – 331 hours
  8. Cardiff – 304 hours
  9. Belfast -303 hours
  10. Nottingham -288 hours
  11. Birmingham -284 hours
  12. Southampton – 279 hours
  13. Bristol – 275 hours
  14. Newcastle – 272 hours
  15. Edinburgh -263 hours
  16. Manchester – 251 hours
  17. Brighton -232 hours

Top genres for car singalongs:

  1. Pop
  2. Rock
  3. Power Ballads
  4. R&B
  5. Disco
  6. Country
  7. Musicals
  8. Dance
  9. Classical
  10. Hip Hop

Top Car names:

Poppy, Dolly and The Beast.