One thing unites all drivers, regardless of skill or how much they use their car.

Passing judgement on how other drivers are using the road is something we all do.

It’s one thing thinking these things; it is quite another to act on these views.

Taking action

New research from Dick Lovett into Britain’s lousy driving habits reveals that some drivers try to control the actions other road users take if they disagree with them.

The research found that nearly half (45%) of British drivers have experienced another road user deliberately speeding up when they try to overtake them.

Another 1 in 9 (11%) drivers admit to doing this.

Teaming up with two expert psychologists, Dick Lovett has tried to gain a better understanding of driver thinking.

What are they thinking

Mark Vahrmeyer, a UKCP psychotherapist and co-founder of Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy, and Dr Rebekah Wanic, a psychologist and self-optimisation coach at Vent to Reinvent, explain just why drivers do this.

Rebekah explains that other drivers will participate in stopping other drivers from overtaking them as a form of punishment.

“Some drivers prevent passing because they are bothered by the speed of another driver and may feel that they are behaving in an aggressive or unsafe way, so the prevention is a form of punishment.”

Rebekah continues: “Punishing others is very psychologically rewarding.

“There may also be an element of competition for some who don’t like to lose and feel that getting passed is a sign that they are not winning the race.

“This mindset is generally not conducive to safe or respectful driving, and when one notices such impulses, it is best to try to reign them in.”

Similarly, Mark explains that “sharing the road with others is a collaborative, albeit defensive experience” for many drivers.

Mark explains that overtaking is “probably the most contentious manoeuvre we can make in terms of how the driver in front or behind may react.”

Mark also explains why some drivers may feel the need to stop other drivers overtaking them on the road: “Being overtaken is very different to ‘letting another pass’.

“The former is done to us and the latter done by us.

“And therein lies the rub – many drivers experience being overtaken as a win-lose proposition, with the person being overtaken as the loser.

“For some, overtaking is simply personal and a criticism of their driving.”

The research also revealed the truth behind the number of people behind four other common ‘bad’ driving behaviours:

Fast-lane hogging

Research found that 1 in 7 (13%) drivers say they prefer to drive in the right-hand lane on the motorway or bypass, even when they’re not overtaking another driver.

It found that men are guiltier of this than women (15% vs 10%), and younger drivers aged 18-24 even more so, with more than a third (36%) saying they do this.

Fast-lane hogging may seem more convenient than weaving in and out of the left-hand lane, but the fast-lane should only be used by drivers who are overtaking traffic.

Once the manoeuvre is complete, the overtaking driver must move back into the slow or middle lane where there is one.

Delaying moving back in after overtaking and ‘hogging’ the fast lane can land drivers with points on their licence and a fine if the police deem it as careless driving under driving laws.

According to rule 264 of the Highway Code, “Keep in the left lane unless overtaking.

“If you are overtaking, you should return to the left lane when it is safe to do so.”

Undertaking

Undertaking is admitted to by more than a quarter (27%) of drivers say they’d undertake another driver if they felt they were going too slow, with men 10% more likely to do this than women (31% vs 21%).

The Highway Code refers to it as ‘overtaking on the left’, and while it is not technically illegal, the code does not recommend it.

The only exceptions to the rule are when drivers are in slow-moving traffic and if the lane on the left is moving faster than the lane on the right.

However, it is not deemed an acceptable reason when one driver thinks another is driving too slow.

Brake checking

Roughly 1 in 6 (17%) drivers revealed that they ‘brake check’ other drivers if they’re driving too close behind them.

Again, young drivers (18-24) are the worst for this, where more than double the amount (36%) say they brake check.

Brake checking is a bad driving habit that involves sharply hitting your brakes with another vehicle behind you to warn the driver behind you that you think they’re too close.

The intention is to make the unsuspecting driver slam on their brakes or swerve to avoid rear-ending your vehicle.

Many people do this because they believe that insurance companies would find the victim of the brake check at fault for not leaving enough space.

However, brake checking is illegal, and if you’re caught, you can be charged with dangerous driving.

Dangerous driving in the UK can carry an unlimited fine and a two-year prison sentence.

Racing other drivers

Street racing and car meets are a consistent problem for traffic police in the UK.

This research found that over 1 in 6 (16%) drivers say they’ve raced another driver before.

The figure rises to 1 in 5 (19%) when looking at male drivers (vs 12% for women).

However, the most concerning results were amongst young drivers, where these figures almost tripled.

Our survey found that almost half (45%) of drivers aged 18-24 say they’ve raced another driver before.

UK law considers street racing as dangerous driving under the Road Traffic Act 1998, section 2, and it is subject to severe penalties.

You can read the research results here.