Drivers name most irritating things passengers do – and it's not 'are we there'

EVERY DRIVER KNOWS THE PAIN OF AN ANNOYING PASSENGER BUT THE CLICHES AREN'T ALWAYS RIGHT. 'ARE WE THERE YET?' ISN'T THE MOST IRRITATING THINK THEY CAN UTTER, ACCORDING TO

A NEW SURVEY 14:31, 04 Jun 2025 Back seat driving, making a mess and slamming on the “invisible brake” are some of the most frustrating passenger behaviours. Other things that annoy

motorists include throwing wrappers around the car, fiddling with the radio and putting feet on the dashboard. A study of 2,000 drivers also revealed playing loud videos and shouting

warnings when cars pull out were also in the top 20 pet peeves when ferrying people around. And around 17% of women said their partner was an annoying passenger and “backseat driver”,

despite 69% of men claiming they’re a good one. As a result, 43% of couples admitted their car trips regularly end in arguments, with 19% not speaking for a period of time. Article continues

below Temporary insurance provider Tempcover, who carried out the research, have now launched the world’s first Passenger lessons from PSM Driving School. Marc Pell, managing director,

said: “There’s never been formal guidance on how to be a good passenger, and that can lead to real tension, especially between couples. “But we’re hoping some passenger lessons will help

people rethink their passenger habits and improve the in-car dynamic. “Our research shows that in many relationships, men do most of the driving but this is a way to flip the usual driving

roles - letting a partner take the wheel so they can learn to be a princely co-pilot, letting go and discovering the joy of being chauffeured.” Paul Middleton, owner and driving instructor

at PSM Driving School, said: “Poor passenger etiquette can really knock a driver’s confidence - especially in relationships. “From backseat driving to constant complaints, it’s often the

little habits that make journeys more stressful than they need to be. “We’re excited to offer lessons from our professional driving instructors, helping people unlearn unhelpful behaviours

and become passengers who support, not stress out the person behind the wheel.” MOST ANNOYING PASSENGER HABITS 1. Making a mess 2. Throwing food wrappers on the floor 3. Complaining about

the driving 4. Shouting out warnings to the driver 5. Putting feet on the dashboard 6. Blocking the mirrors 7. Telling the driver to go faster or slower 8. Eating crumbly, loud or smelly

food without my permission 9. Screaming/ gasping if they think the driver is late braking / hasn’t seen something 10. Changing the song/ radio station without asking 11. Changing the volume

of the radio without asking 12. Talking on the phone loudly 13. Watching loud videos on their phone 14. Adjusting the temperature in the car without asking 15. Getting directions wrong 16.

Touching steering wheel/other car parts 17. Talking about what they would have done differently Article continues below 18. Stepping on the invisible brake on their side of the car 19.

Opening/closing the window 20. Clutching onto their seatbelt/ seat/ handle with their eyes closed