Carguments

Survey Says: 71% of Couples Argue In Cars

"New Seat Belt" by Larry Pope on joe-ks.com

A study of 3,000 motorists by sporty Spanish car maker SEAT revealed 71% of people have argued with their partner while driving, argue more while in a car together than anywhere else, and that these fights can be more aggressive than most. On average, an in-car argument starts just 22 minutes into a journey, 52% result in spending the remainder of the trip sitting in silence... But 20% claim they have pulled the car over and refused to drive any further until their partner got out of the car.

Common driving arguments:

• Directions / getting lost (44%)
• Where to park (37%)
• Driving too quickly (34%)
• Driving too close to other cars (24%)
• Backseat driving (20%)
• Music / radio station choice (20%)
• Aggressive driving / road rage (17%)
• Taking corners too quickly (15%)
• Heating too high (15%)
• Air-conditioning too low (14%)

Perhaps it's the confined space, but a spokesperson for SEAT, which commissioned the study, said: "Many journeys can be stressful if you get caught up in traffic or can’t find your way. But it seems much of the stress is caused by our own partner when we are behind the wheel. If something about your partner’s driving annoys you, it can be hard to bite your lip. However, as a passenger, you really should... An agitated driver is much more likely to lose concentration and have (an accident). And then you’ll really have something to argue about!"


Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy - The Raw and the Cooked (1988)