BRITS NOW SPEND MORE TIME DRIVING THAN SOCIALISING

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Friday 28th January 2011: Despite rising petrol prices, the average British motorist now clocks up a record 7,413 miles per year – the equivalent of driving from London to Cape Town despite an all time high fuelling cost of £1,078.22(1), according to new research out today.

The study(2) by Sheilas’ Wheels car insurance found that motorists now spend longer behind the wheel than they do seeing family and friends. The average motorist spends three full years of their life driving(3) (519 hours per year), but less than two years of it socialising (237 hours per year).

Motorists have become so reliant on their cars that most spend more than one working day (10 hours) every week driving – this compares to just 3.7 hours spent walking, 2.7 hours showering and a mere 4.6 hours socialising with friends and family. As the need for social, shopping and commuting mobility has increased, motorists now spend nearly two more days driving every year than they did ten years ago.

The added burden of our increased driving is also making men far gloomier behind the wheel. According to the research, over half of men (54 per cent) said their driving was a means to an end and over a quarter (29 per cent) said they loath the daily commute. In contrast, 64 per cent of the female drivers polled said they enjoy driving and do not see it as a chore and almost a half (48 per cent) said they find it relaxing.

Men spend 533 hours behind the wheel each year, which is longer than their female counterparts who spend 506 hours driving each year. Men are also more likely to undertake longer, one-off drives - spending 21 hours a year driving on weekend trips and 29 hours behind the wheel on business. The top journey for women on the other hand is the daily drive to work (122 hours a year), followed by shopping trips (91 hours) and visiting friends and family (96 hours).

August was revealed as the busiest month for motoring with a fifth (20 per cent) of drivers spending more time behind the wheel during that month than any other time of the year. This is the result of driving around on holiday and the summer break from school, which see thousands of families hit the roads each year.

Jacky Brown at Sheilas’ Wheels car insurance commented: “It is clear from our research that motorists are spending more time behind the wheel squeezing out ‘real time’ with family and friends. Driving is an integral part of our everyday lives, but it’s also a time when people are uniquely vulnerable. Time behind the wheel needs to be spent concentrating on the road ahead trather than thinking about what you’re missing.

“As women now enjoy being in the driving seat more than men, it’s no wonder that people are speculating that the new Stig on Top Gear might be female.”

Top 10 UK motoring regions (hours the average motorist spends driving each year):

North East (601 hours)
London (595 hours)
Wales (556 hours)
Northern Ireland (549 hours)
Yorkshire (530 hours)
East Midlands (527 hours)
West Midlands (526 hours)
North West (520 hours)
South East (511 hours)
East of England (495 hours)

Age Divide

25 to 34 year olds spend the most time behind the wheel each year, racking up on average 580 hours each
This is compared to over 55s who drive on average 435 hours annually
25 to 34 year olds are also the age group that most enjoys being behind the wheel with 57 per cent finding it relaxing and 77 per cent admitting it gives them time to think – this is compared to 49 per cent and 68 per cent of 45 to 54 year olds who agree, respectively

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For further information please contact the Sheilas’ Wheels press office at Mischief on 020 7100 9999 or email sheilaswheels@mischiefpr.com

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Notes to Editors:
(1) 839.02 litres. Average petrol price 128.51p as of week commencing 24th January 2011. Source: http://www.petrolprices.com/. Based on 40.2 miles per gallon:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cars/advisory_fuel_current.htm
(2) Sheilas’ Wheels used the independent online research company Fly Research who surveyed 1,011 motorists from across the UK, aged 18 and over, between the 18th and 20th January 2011.
(3) A lifetime is calculated as 50 years for driving and 70 years for socialising.