The modern British motorist now spends the equivalent of three years and four months of their lives behind the wheel of their car, it emerged today.
The detailed study into the extent of our dependency on the motor vehicle found the typical adult spends well over six hours in their car every week.
On top of that they will also be at the wheel for around three hours and 40 minutes on a weekend.
That means every year the average driver spends around 29,492 hours in the driver’s seat.
The study of 2,000 drivers was carried out by skobbler, developers of the UK’s leading iPhone sat nav app ‘GPS Navigation 2’.
Worryingly, the report also revealed that around 55 per cent of us regularly use the car to travel a distance which is easily walkable.
Marcus Thielking, Co-founder of sat nav app developer, skobbler, said: “We are all guilty of driving to places when we could walk, but due to the fast nature of our lives it is understandable why people tend to hop in the car.”
The study also revealed the average motorist will jump 87 red lights, fill-up with petrol 2,214 times and make 1,992 phone calls during a lifetime behind the wheel.
They will also drive 269,296 miles, get lost 371 times and get stuck in traffic nearly 10,000 times.
A typical driver will spend 99 days stationary on gridlocked roads and check their smartphone for emails or texts over 1,000 while at the wheel.
Marcus Thielking, of skobbler, added: “There is no excuse for behaviour such as jumping red lights, tailgating fellow motorists or cutting people up.
“Being a motorist involves a lot more than just driving and whilst we all try to be sensible drivers it would seem we are all guilty of a few misdemeanours, whether it’s speeding or using our phones illegally.”
The report also found whilst behind the wheel we will spend 384 days listening to the radio and 337 days playing our own music which means on average we will sing 4104 times in the car.
The typical adult will also share 680 kisses in the car and will have sex four times from the age of 17.
They will also have a whopping 2,974 rows with a partner whilst they are behind the wheel.
“Getting lost can often be a contributing factor to those stressful arguments with fellow passengers,” added Marcus Thielking.
“Using modern sat nav apps instead of relying on the map reading skills of others provides the best chance of staying on track and reducing those inevitable squabbles.”
The kids will be told off 5,520 times and we will suffer from two flat tyres, breakdown twice and tot up a total of 51 speeding tickets in addition to 62 parking tickets.
The stresses of life will get to us too behind the wheel with the average driver breaking down in tears 76 times whilst in their car.
Other extra-curricular activities include eating in the car (897 times) and applying make-up (319 times).
Car maintenance such as checking oil and tyre pressure will take place 233 times and we will top up with screen wash 185 times in our driving life time.
Marcus Thielking, of skobbler, added: “This research shows we do spend an awfully long time in the car and many motorists will conduct a lot of their other business in their vehicle.
“Reprimanding children, applying lipstick, checking the telephone and rowing with our partner are just some of the things this research unveiled about Brits behaviour behind the wheel.”
BREAKDOWN OF THE AVERAGE MOTORIST
PER LIFETIME OF DRIVING (61.5 YEARS)
Number of cars owned 18 cars
Miles driven 269,296 miles
Visit garage to buy fuel 2,214 times
Stuck in traffic 9,594 times / 99 days
Took / made a phone call 1992 times
Check phone for texts etc 1011 times
Listens to the radio 384 days
Listens to music 337 days
Near misses 3
Minor accidents 1
Broken down 2
Flat tyre 2
Visits to garage for repairs 34
Filled car up with screen wash 185 times
Replaced car accessories
(windscreen wipers, oil, light bulbs etc) 39 times
Basic car maintenance
(check oil, water, tyre pressure etc) 233 times
Flirted with other motorists 55 times
Kissed a partner or date 680 times
Had sex 4 times
Eaten in the car 897 times
Slept in the car 38 times
Sang in the car 4104 times Broken the speed limit 19,379 times
Driven on the motorway 6760 times
Shouted at the kids 5520 times
Argued with a partner 2974 times
Cried in the car 76 times
Applied make up / brushed hair 319 times
Used Sat Nav 4797 times
Got lost in the car 371 times
Jumped a red light 87 times
Hooted a cyclist 62 times
Tailgated a slow driver 138 times
Been tailgated 362 times
Number of speeding tickets 51
Number of parking tickets 62
Sworn at fellow motorists 323 times
Cut someone up 95 times
Parked on a kerb 226
Total time spent in car 3 years and 4 months
