Mum and dads' school run driving kids mad
A study released today has shown the incredible amount of parents' driving behaviour that children absorb from a young age and the worrying in-car habits that this can create.
A quarter of dads regularly show unsafe driving behaviour such as accelerating too quickly (26%) and speeding when driving (22%), compared with a considerably lower percentage of mums (11% and 10% respectively). Despite this, over half of children (52%) prefer being driven by dad than mum (39%).
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Hide Adingenie, a young driver insurance brand, recently interviewed 10- year-old James and 13-year-old Tania to investigate the driving behaviour they have learned from their parents. When asked to do an impression of his dad driving, James talks on his mobile phone and then beeps the horn aggressively and shouts out the window, seemingly intimidating other drivers.
Tania says when her mum is driving: "She's putting her lipstick on, looking at her phone." Both sets of parents, who were watching the live interview from another room, expressed their shock at their kids' impression of their conduct and how much they were taking in on journeys. You can watch the full interview here https://www.ingenie.com/parent-manifesto
The research with children aged between 10 and 16 years old found that they frequently witnessed their parents committing similar transgressions but dad proved to be the biggest culprit. Almost half (43%) of dads get angry behind the wheel in comparison with just a fifth (18%) of mums. Children also revealed that their dad (57%) and mum (44%) shout at others whilst driving and dad is 13% more likely to swear in the car.
With this in mind, it's surprising to note that over a third (34%) of children would prefer their dad to teach them to drive rather than their mum (25%). The insights could expose children's acceptance of unsafe driving habits and the misunderstanding that these traits are normal upon passing a driving test.
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Hide AdRichard King, ingenie CEO, states, "The results reveal that we are teaching children bad driving habits long before they start lessons and subsequently pass their test. Parents need to understand the importance of setting a good example behind the wheel and be aware of the amount of information that children absorb. How we drive as parents ultimately influences how safely our children will drive in the future."
Dan, James' father featured in the ingenie video said, "It's definitely an eye opener. He's sitting in the back, I think that he's on his iPhone all the time, [but] he is still taking in other information."
The study marks the first of the five gears in ingenie's Parent Manifesto; a robust series of activities that aims to educate parents on how to get more involved when their child is learning to drive, in order to complement the learning process and promote safer driving among young people.
The manifesto will be made up of five stages released over the next four months – with each stage aiming to educate parents on another way they can help their child drive safely and save money.
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Hide AdFor more information about how to help a young driver get on the road safely visit https://www.ingenie.com/parent-manifesto Who do you prefer to be driven by?
Dad
52%
Mum
39%
Neither of my parents drive
5%
Other
2%
Why do you prefer Mum driving you?
They drive carefully
50%
They let me listen to any radio station
39%
They drive really fast
2%
They drive slowly
11%
It is exciting
11%
Why do you prefer Dad driving you?
They drive carefully
35%
They let me listen to any radio station
35%
They drive really fast
11%
They drive slowly
3%
It is exciting
26%
Does your Dad do the following while driving?
Eat
47%
Drink
47%
Swear
54%
Shout at other drivers
57%
Drive with one hand on the steering wheel
53%
Answer phone calls
32%
Does your Mum do the following while driving?
Eat
37%
Drink
39%
Swear
41%
Shout at other drivers
44%
Drive with one hand on the steering wheel
37%
Answer phone calls
20%
Do you parents always wear a seatbelt when they drive?
Dad
88%
Mum
83%
Do you always wear a seatbelt when your parents drive?
Dad
89%
Mum
83%
What Dad does when driving:
Accelerates too quickly
26%
Speeds when driving
22%
Brakes harshly
16%
Drives close to other drivers
15%
Makes his children get out before parking in a tight spot
12%
What Mum does when driving:
Accelerates too quickly
11%
Speeds when driving
10%
Brakes harshly
14%
Drives close to other drivers
11%
Makes his children get out before parking in a tight spot
21%
Which of the following statements do you agree with?
When I can drive, I'd prefer to drive with like my Dad
40%
When I can drive, I'd prefer to drive with like my Mum
38%
None of the above
19%
Who gets most angry with other drivers when driving?
Dad
43%
Mum
18%
They don't get angry with other drivers when driving
26%
Both equally
13%
Who would you want to teach you to drive of your parents
Dad
34%
Mum
25%
I don't want my parents to teach me
25%
Both equally
15%