auto dealer in black and red logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

What Riles Drivers Most

Study shows top pet peeves, along with drivers’ secret judgments about other motorists.

June 19, 2024
What Riles Drivers Most

Over a quarter of poll respondents say they themselves are innocent of the hated trespasses.

Credit:

Pexels/Roman Pohorecki

2 min to read


A poll confirms what most drivers already knew: Driving can be a pain in the you know what. The results reveal just which irritants rankle the most.

At the top of drivers’ pet peeves list, as revealed in the LendingTree survey, sits texting while driving, a practice that’s illegal in most states but that happens nonetheless.

More than half of drivers who acknowledge having pet peeves on the road – and 92% say they have them – point to texting drivers as the worst of them. The most common peeving offense among respondents who admitted to committing them is, you guessed it, texting while driving.

“Texting while driving is deadly and inexcusable,” says LendingTree auto insurance specialist Rob Bhatt. “In the amount of time it takes to send a note or check your screen, you can miss seeing cars stopped in unexpected freeway traffic in front of you or a worker on the side of the road. It’s 100% avoidable.”

The poll found the second- and third-ranking pet peeves are driving slowly in a passing lane, 44%, and drivers who block fellow travelers from merging, 41%.

Perhaps ironically, 27% of poll respondents say they themselves are innocent of such trespasses.

Irritating other drivers can of course have consequences. The study found the unsurprising fact that driving can raise people’s dander.

Half of respondents said they’ve experienced what they consider road rage, and half of those said it moved them to drive aggressively. Traffic tempers were more common among men – 56% versus 43% of women, and especially among the youngest drivers – 62% of generation Z drivers and 59% of millennial ones.

The poll revealed other interesting road habits and prejudices. For more detail, visit the test results page.

LEARN MORE: Most Drivers Would Accept Speed-Warning Tech

 

 

 

More Industry

Dealer Debrief with Lauren Lawrence, 05/07/2026, Auto Dealer Today
Industryby Lauren LawrenceMay 8, 2026

Dealer Debrief: Credit Scores & Exec Moves

In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence covers bad credit scores, executive moves and a dealership acquisition.

Read More →
Shifting Loan Demands A Sign of the Times, Loan Application paperwork with a pen and a car outline, Auto Dealer Today
Industryby Lauren LawrenceMay 8, 2026

Auto Loan Outlook Shows Cracks

Recent survey data shows that the overall demand for auto loans is down, but the demand for subprime loans is up as consumers face economic uncertainty and affordability pressures.

Read More →
Cover image for a BOK Financial report titled “Timing the market: How avoiding volatility entirely can hurt long-term reinsurance program performance.” The image shows several road construction barricades with flashing amber warning lights lined up in a nighttime work zone. Beneath the image, red text explains that avoiding volatility can mean falling behind inflation and missing market rebounds that drive long-term surplus growth. The BOK Financial logo appears at the bottom right.
SponsoredMay 8, 2026

Timing the Market Can Hurt Long-Term Program Performance

For dealer-owned reinsurance entities, avoiding volatility entirely can mean falling behind inflation and missing market rebounds that drive long term surplus growth. Missing just a handful of strong market days can materially impact cumulative returns—an important reminder for long horizon trust and investment strategies.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Auto Dealer today, Dealer Debrief, 05/01/2026 with Lauren Lawrence
Industryby Lauren LawrenceMay 1, 2026

Dealer Debrief: New & Used Sales Trends

In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence covers new and used vehicle sales trends from March.

Read More →
white Chevrolet Equinox being temperature tested
Fixed Opsby Lauren LawrenceMay 1, 2026

Extreme Temps Hinder EV Efficiency

American consumers might be happy to know that their preferred hybrids are slightly less impacted by extreme temperatures than fully electric vehicles, according to a new study.

Read More →
Photo of woman at desk using a calculator
Industryby Hannah MitchellMay 1, 2026

A Tale of Haves and Have-Nots

A growing number of consumers are stretching the bounds of auto finance to afford today’s expensive vehicles, ultimately paying a higher price for the now-common scenarios.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Headshot of Michael Orange
Industryby Hannah MitchellApril 24, 2026

Stellantis Names U.S. Sales Head

The former Hyundai and Nissan executive is tasked with increased momentum in the important market as the automaker shifts its strategy amid a turnaround.

Read More →
family in a car, Affordability Out the Window, Auto Dealer Today
Industryby Lauren LawrenceApril 24, 2026

Bad Credit Tanks Attainability

A recent study suggests expectant parents are feeling the burden of bad credit more than other demographics when it comes to buying a new car.

Read More →
Dealer Debrief, 04/23/2026, with Lauren Lawrence, Auto Dealer Today
Industryby Lauren LawrenceApril 23, 2026

Dealer Debrief: Ford HQ and Mercedes Studios

In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence covers Ford HQ renovations, new Mercedes studios, and the state of auto loans in March.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Dealer Debrief 04/15/2026 with Lauren Lawrence
Industryby Lauren LawrenceApril 17, 2026

Dealer Debrief: Exploding Airbags & Risk Management

In this week's Dealer Debrief, host Lauren Lawrence covers a potential air bag ban and reinsurance and risk management.

Read More →