Well this is interesting, a recent quiz by Jardine Motors Group, of over 1,400 motorists, has exposed that many drivers are a bit rusty when it comes to the rules of the road, with many confused about new driving protocol, laws, penalties and roadside etiquette.
The results, which can be found on Jardine’s Driving Seat website, highlighted that 56% of respondents were unaware that if you curse a fellow motorist you could be fined up to 75% of your weekly income, whilst 48% didn’t know that it is illegal to pay for your food or coffee using your smart phone at a drive-thru, if your engine is on and handbrake is off. One in seven also believed it was legal to use a hand-held phone when supervising a learner driver.
Breakdown etiquette was also identified as a bit of a grey area with 54% of respondents unsure of what to do in the event that they break down on the side of the motorway with an animal in the car. Perhaps the most surprising was that a quarter of drivers also struggled to correctly identify a UK traffic light sequence.
The insight was generated after Jardine Motors Group challenged motorists to take its Driving Genius Quiz as part of its ongoing campaign to help raise awareness of road safety. From identifying road signs and being aware of peculiar driving laws, respondents were asked to tackle a host of tricky driving-related questions.
Matt Wrigley, Group Marketing Director at Jardine Motors Group, says: “Everyone works hard to swot up before their driving test, but how many of us actively keep up to date with the rules of the road? Our Driving Genius quiz highlighted a number of areas where misunderstanding exists, particularly around new rules which have been introduced since that magical moment that we passed our test. For example, over a quarter of respondents could not identify the correct penalty for using a handheld mobile phone.”
To help motorists separate fact from fiction and get back up to speed, Jardine Motors Group has named quiz entrant, Chris Diamond, from The Wirral, as its new Driving Genius, after he was just one of the 2% of entrants that scored 100%. Chris is set to be the face of a series of short information animations aimed at tackling some of the main motoring knowledge gaps, as revealed in the quiz results.
Chris comments: “I am delighted not only to have been named as the nation’s Driving Genius by Jardine Motors Group, but am looking forward to getting involved in the ongoing campaign to help re-educate motorists. We all make common mistakes, or think we know the laws when driving, but hopefully I can help some drivers to refresh their knowledge.”
For more information about Jardine Motors Group please visit www.jardinemotors.co.uk