Driving is the most popular way of getting around and some 50 million Brits have a driving licence according to the Department for Transport.
However new research from Saga car insurance of 1001 British drivers reveals that 94% of Brits feel stress towards driving. Almost a third (29%) also consider their stress a driving anxiety.
See the research here: https://www.saga.co.uk/car-insurance/driving-stress-and-anxiety
Saga’s survey presented respondents a variety of scenarios – such as driving in bad weather and driving in an unfamiliar place – and asked whether any caused feelings of stress. 94% of respondents said that at least one scenario made them stressed.
The 10 most stressful encounters when driving
| Rank | Activity | % of British drivers who feel stressed |
| 1 | Driving in bad weather like fog; snow; heavy rain | 49% |
| 2 | Getting lost/driving without satnav | 44% |
| 3 | Experiencing a car breakdown/mechanical issue | 39% |
| 4 | Driving alongside large vehicles like lorries | 38% |
| 4 | Driving in foreign countries | 38% |
| 6 | Driving at night | 37% |
| 7 | Driving in city centres | 36% |
| 7 | Driving in an unfamiliar place | 36% |
| 7 | Driving during rush hours | 36% |
| 10 | Being stuck in a traffic jam | 33% |
Driving in extreme or bad weather ranked as the most stressful situation. Drivers aged 55-64 were most affected compared to all age groups, as 56% considered this event to be stressful. Women were more concerned than men – 60% and 39%, respectively, said that driving in bad weather caused stress.
Speaking on the top result, Dr Daniel, an NHS and private practice therapist says: “It’s a situation where we feel our control is diminished, and loss of control is often at the heart of anxiety. What’s interesting is that the fear of accidents ranks relatively lowly (the third least stressful). This suggests that it’s not necessarily the outcome people fear, but the feeling of vulnerability in the moment.”
See the research URL above for more details. See the end of the release for Claire and Ali’s tips to navigating the top three most stressful experiences, and advice on how to manage generalised stress on the road.
The 5 ‘least’ stressful encounters when driving
| Rank | Activity | % of British drivers who feel stressed |
| 1 | Overtaking/being overtaken | 15% |
| 2 | Driving alone | 15% |
| 3 | Fear of getting into an accident | 20% |
| 4 | Parallel parking | 21% |
| 5 | Motorway/high speed driving | 27% |
Overtaking, driving alone, and parallel parking were among the least stress-inducing scenarios, though as many as one in five (21%) respondents still considered the latter stressful.
Nearly a third of British drivers consider their stress to be driving anxiety
Saga asked whether drivers considered any of the scenarios they selected to be more than stressful, and an anxiety. Just under a third (29%) said yes, and a further 29% said maybe. Drivers aged 21-24 were the most anxious with 53% considering one scenario or more a cause of anxiety, compared to 19% of those aged 55-64.
Drivers with anxiety that impacts their ability to drive should report this to the DVLA. An FOI to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) reveals there’s been a 29% yearly average increase in reports of driving anxiety to the organisation over the past 10 years.
| Year | Total no. reports | Percentage increase/decrease |
| 2014 | 2,325 | – |
| 2015 | 7,047 | 203% |
| 2016 | 7,566 | 7% |
| 2017 | 9,177 | 21% |
| 2018 | 10,399 | 13% |
| 2019 | 11,940 | 15% |
| 2020 | 9,651 Possibly impacted by Covid-19 | -19% |
| 2021 | 9,784 Possibly impacted by Covid-19 | 1% |
| 2022 | 10,901 | 11% |
| 2023 | 12,074 | 11% |
| 2024 | 7,504 to August 20th | N/A |
Dr Daniel says: “Driving requires a complex set of skills and constant decision-making. For many, it’s a perfect storm for anxiety to take hold.
“Individual experiences will vary, but young people’s relatively limited driving experience can be a major contributor. Education courses and public safety campaigns frequently target this demographic, so they’re hyper-exposed to alarming statistics and worst-case scenarios from an early point. It can plant seeds of anxiousness that persist into their independent driving years.”
Dr Daniel explains that “the line between stress and anxiety can be blurry, but generally, anxiety becomes problematic when it starts interfering with daily life. If someone is avoiding necessary trips or experiencing physical symptoms like panic attacks behind the wheel, it’s time to seek help.”