About six in 10 (60.4%) drivers in Switzerland are either often or very often annoyed by motorists who don’t follow at a safe distance, according to a survey by insurer
AXA Winterthur. More than half (54.7%) also said their tempers would flare when they see someone using a smartphone while driving.
The findings align with the firm’s road safety data – over one-third of accidents reported are rear-end collisions.
The other top annoyances were:
- Forcing one’s way into the lane after overtaking: 54.1%
- Forgetting to use the turn signal: 49.1%
- Driving in the left lane when not overtaking: 46%
According to the firm, the breaking distance should be about 25 to 33 metres for cars travelling at 80km/h on dry roads. It recommended the “two second rule” as a way for drivers to identify a safe distance. Ideally, a driver should stay at least two seconds behind the vehicle in front.
Drivers also ranked the most annoying aspects of city driving:
- A lack of parking (49.8%)
- Traffic density (39%)
- Cyclists (32.8%)
- Small parking spaces (27.1%)
- Construction and diversions (25.6%)
When asked about behaviours or conditions considered either dangerous or very dangerous, more than 8 in 10 (83%) ranked following too close on top. This was followed by poor visibility and fog (78.5%), heavy rain (71.5%), driving too fast (57.5%), and unpredictable lane changing (56.7%).
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