In a recent survey conducted by Kelton Research, they polled 1,021 American drivers who were 18 and over, to discover what makes us most frustrated behind the wheel.   The findings weren’t exactly surprising, since I think most of us can relate to some – if not most – of the triggers on the list.   For me, I know my anxiety level really rises when I can’t find the destination I’m looking for or when other drivers are using their cell phones while driving instead of paying attention to the road.  

Below are the results of the Kelton survey.   Which situation makes you cringe?  Which one really chaps your cheeks?  Which of the following don’t bother you at all?

Blues Traveller

According to survey results, a staggering 94 percent of American drivers get stressed out when driving on the highway and of those, 70 percent said traffic or congestion was the biggest reason and 65 percent admitted roadwork was also a high stress factor. The survey also found that 86 percent of drivers find themselves in traffic congestion during morning commutes, adding an average of 18 minutes to their drive time every morning.  In a year, 18 minutes a day equals up to 78 hours - or more than three full days spent in traffic!

Pssst…Wanna Trade?

67 percent of drivers who find themselves sitting in traffic morning after morning, day in and day out on their way to work, said they would be willing to trade some of their morning routine such as watching television, spending morning time with family, or even showering – in exchange for a traffic-free commute. Of this particular group of drivers, 40 percent said they would skip breakfast, 34 percent said they would go without a cup of coffee and nearly a quarter said they would even be willing to give up morning sex!

Can I Get a Small Loan?

The survey results also revealed that drivers are willing to spend a significant amount of cash to avoid traffic completely. In fact, 50 percent of drivers who said they would pay money to avoid traffic also said they would be willing to spend at least $1,000.00 each year to be able to do so, while 20 percent admitted that they would be willing to spend upwards of $2,500.00 a year to avoid traffic congestion.

I’m Not Lost, I’m Taking The Scenic Route

A whopping 85 percent of American drivers admit they’ve gotten lost while driving, with poor directions and unclear or missing highway signs being named as the top two reasons drivers keep getting lost (I can so relate!).  An overwhelming 91 percent of drivers admit that they’ve missed an exit on the highway, which often resulted in getting lost. 44 percent of American drivers which whittled down to 50 percent of women and 38 percent of men said they find road signs or sudden lane changes on the highway confusing.  As if missing an exit wasn’t enough, 62 percent of drivers who have missed an exit say they wasted time and gas trying to find their way back on track.

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

The stress and anxiety caused by getting lost and losing our way on the road doesn’t seem to help our relationships either.  Most of those polled cited that directions – or the lack thereof - was the number one reason they fought while driving with their significant other.

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