Halcyon days of Sunday drivers are back

Nearly two thirds (62%) of people in the UK drive up to twenty miles on Sundays, compared with a mere 14% who prefer to stay at home, according to research by Confused.com – UK insurance price comparison site.

Those who live in the largest cities in the UK seem the most keen to get away from it all at weekends, with more than two thirds (69%) of Sheffield drivers heading for the hills on Sundays, and a whopping 85% of those who live in Belfast escaping the ‘Big Smoke'. In fact, no Belfast drivers actually stay put on Sundays, choosing instead to drive elsewhere.

Smaller cities appear to be more appealing at weekends, with nearly one in five (19% and 18% respectively) making the most of their surroundings in Cambridge and Leicester. Yet it is Swansea drivers who are the most content with their city, with 21% staying put on Sundays.

Debra Williams, managing director at Confused.com, said: "The halcyon days of Sunday drivers appear to have been revived with city-dwellers, in particular, embarking on a UK-wide exodus on the day of rest. Although hitting the roads on Sundays is probably more indicative of going to Aunt Betty's for tea than of glamorous 1940s Hollywood-style country drives, it cannot be denied that the UK's love affair with the car continues unabated.

"With so many cars on the road, however, it is important for drivers to be as vigilant on weekends as they would be in the week. Planning your route, allowing extra time and taking into consideration elements such as the great British weather, should result in less accidents and a reduction in convictions which will, in turn, help to reduce premiums."