Women are far more likely to get stressed out while driving than their male counterparts, the results of the latest AA poll suggest.
Selecting from a list of potentially stressful driving activities, such as talking to gardaí, entering and exiting motorways, and negotiating multi-lane roundabouts, female respondents consistently expressed far greater levels of anxiety than males.
The AA poll reveals that, in particular, female drivers find changing lanes at speed, overtaking cars, parallel parking and motorway driving far more stressful than men. At 26.7 per cent, three times as many women as men say they find changing lanes at speed either quite or very stressful.
Similarly, 24.7 per cent of women compared with 9.6 per cent of men felt the same way about overtaking other cars. And 36.9 per cent of females get knots in their stomach over parallel parking compared with just 14.4 per cent of men.
“It may be that a little stress is a good thing,” says John Farrell, director of AA Motor Insurance. “Women crash their cars far less than men do. Perhaps the men are a bit over-confident about driving manoeuvres that are genuinely complicated.
“Feeling aggravated while driving can of course be a huge distraction, and something that we all need to guard against. But if you are nervous enough to be naturally cautious that can improve your driving by making you more careful.”
The questions were asked as part of a major poll carried out between January 21 and January 28. More than 21,000 Irish motorists took part.
As a whole, the AA poll reveals that driving in an unfamiliar city is most likely to crank up motorists’ stress levels. Some 71.8 per cent of drivers say they find this activity to be either somewhat or very stressful. After this, driving in rush hour traffic is most likely to increase blood pressure with 47.7 per cent saying they find it stressful to some degree.
Ranked third in the anxiety stakes is overtaking a bus or truck, 43.1 per cent of respondents of the poll say they find this stressful.
To help reduce some of the contributing factors of stress, the AA offers the following handy stress-busting tips:
1. Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination. Running late is one of the primary reasons people speed and get worked up behind the wheel.
2. Make your car a nice place to be. Eliminate possible frustrations with your car. Keep it clean and fresh, have your seat correctly set, have your favorite relaxing CDs in the car, and you could even try an in-seat massage unit.
3. Provide entertainment for your children. Children fighting in the back seat or vying for your attention can be a huge distraction. For your own sanity, and especially on long journeys, it is a great idea to pack books or perhaps hand held consoles provided the sound is turned off.
4. Take some snacks with you. If you are someone who gets irritable while driving, it is a good idea to pack something that is convenient to eat in the car.
5. Avoid traffic jams. It is a good idea for motorists to check out the www.aaroadwatch.ie site or call the AA jam buster line, 1850 542 542 before they head off to check for traffic jams/areas of heavy congestion. Also listen out for further updates on the radio throughout the drive.
6. Avoid getting lost. If unfamiliar with where you are going, log on to AA Route planner to get thorough directions before you go Each year, AA route planner attracts in the region of 4.5 million views. It is also a good idea to take a road map and use your SatNav, making sure to programme it correctly and keep it up to date.
