Millions of drivers are scared of taking a right turn

Turning right, joining the motorway and navigating roundabouts are part of every day motoring for most drivers, yet new research reveals they all feature in a list of things that drivers fear when on the roads.

The research, by car insurer Churchill shows that Brits are such frightened drivers, that millions avoid certain routes so they don’t have to turn RIGHT. More than a third of women (34 per cent) and 29 per cent of men admit they actually bypass certain routes during busy periods to avoid right turns across traffic.

It’s not just turning right that strikes fear into the hearts of drivers, but roundabouts, cyclists, parking and driving at night all cause trauma for fully qualified drivers.

Four in ten motorists (43 per cent) don’t feel confident enough to park where they want. Thirteen per cent of these will endure a long walk to avoid parking in a ‘tight’ spot, six per cent only park in spaces they can drive into forwards, and eight per cent avoid multi-storey car parks. Others won’t park on the high street for fear of embarrassing themselves (eight per cent) and seven per cent refuse to parallel park.

Motorways are another big fear factor according to Churchill’s survey. One in ten people (11 per cent) avoid driving on the motorway and 14 per cent only do it when they absolutely have to. One in five people admit that joining a motorway scares them, and once on there, two per cent admit to driving only in the left hand lane.

Almost half of all motorists (49 per cent) are not confident to drive at night - around 14 per cent of women and five per cent of men avoid driving when dusk falls. Poor visibility, being followed by a stranger and sheer panic are all reasons people avoid night time driving.

Frances Browning, spokeswoman for Churchill Car Insurance said: “When motorists pass their driving tests, it doesn’t necessarily qualify them as a confident driver. As our research shows, there are those who actively avoid certain driving manoeuvres, sometimes to the extent that they don’t drive on specific roads or at specific times. It may be worth undertaking a refresher course now and again to increase driver confidence and make the roads safer for everyone.”

In addition, drivers’ fears are exacerbated when they leave Britain’s shores with 16 per cent of women and eight per cent of men refusing to drive on the continent. Drivers say they don’t understand the road signs, have heard horror stories from pals about bad experiences or fear they could get lost.

Women’s top ten driving fears:

Turning right
Joining a motorway
Hidden entrances
Overtaking a cyclist
Roundabouts
Driving near schools
Learner drivers
One way streets
Dual carriageways
Mini roundabouts

Men’s top ten driving fears:

Turning right
Hidden entrances
Driving near schools
Overtaking cyclists
Learner drivers
Roundabouts
Joining a motorway
One way streets
Mini roundabouts
Varying speed limits