Singing like you’re a star, heart-to-hearts with friends and family, or just the open road. The freedom that driving brings is sorely missed according to a new survey.

UK fuel brand, JET , asks 2000 UK drivers what they’ve missed most about driving.

“For many drivers there is no greater pleasure than belting out some classics and being the star of your own playlist”

The open road

Many of us are looking to celebrate new freedoms we’d once taken for granted. Getting back on the road is top of the list. Not being able to drive during lockdown has taken its toll.

It is this freedom that almost half of all UK drivers, 43%, state as the thing they’ve missed most. Escaping the four wall of home may explain why 29% have missed the opportunity to drive somewhere new. For one-in-five drivers, it’s all about adventure. Filling up, grabbing a coffee and driving for the fun and pleasure of, well, driving.

I want to be alone

For some, the best driving moments are related to simply being in a private space. You can take time out to reflect and treat yourself to some much-needed ‘me time’.

‘Peace and quiet’ rang true for 22% of the drivers polled, ‘having time to yourself’. For others (18%) they are relishing a return to those heart to heart catch-ups we only seem to have while on the road.

Diva Drivers!

There is a famous quote that tells us to ‘dance like no one is watching’ and ‘sing like no one is listening’. For many drivers there is no greater pleasure than belting out some classics. According to the poll, more than one-in-ten UK drivers (12%) are happy to admit that they ‘sing like they are the star of a West End show’ while driving!

It’s a pleasure that is the basis of James Corden’s hugely successful ‘Carpool Karaoke’. The episode with Adele has had 235 million views on YouTube and counting. And then there’s TikTok, where people surprise friends and family by singing in the car for the first time – the brilliant, joyous reactions captured on car cams.

Serving the community

Let’s not forget the joys of dropping by the service station for a coffee or snack. A massive part of our communities, they have stayed open throughout the pandemic. Enabling front line workers to stay mobile, many sites have adapted their retail offer to meet the needs of their customers. A simple pleasure many drivers have missed.

Top 10 most-missed moments of driving pre-lockdown:

  • A sense of freedom (43%)
  • Driving to somewhere new (beach, countryside, new cities) (29%)
  • Peace, quiet and a moment to reflect/having time to yourself (22%)
  • A sense of adventure/going on a ride for the fun of it (21%)
  • Having heart-to-heart catch-ups and meaningful conversations with family/partners/housemates (18%)
  • Blasting out your driving mix with the windows rolled down (17%)
  • Tuning into your favourite radio show, audiobook or podcast (12%)
  • Singing like you’re the star of your own West-End show (12%)
  • Visiting the service station for a quick hot drink and snack (11%)
  • Driving on some of the UK’s best roads (9%)