NAVIGON advice to weather-stricken motorists

With the current freezing weather conditions, it is more important than ever for motorists to be prepared when they head out on the road. With drivers needing extra help as they try and seek alternative routes home, many rely on their trusty sat nav to get them from A to B. A recent survey from sat nav maker NAVIGON has revealed it’s not only the bad weather you need to watch out for on the roads.

Treacherous road conditions coupled with bad driving habits are making our car journeys more dangerous than ever. Despite the fact 60% of us claim be calm and organised drivers, our survey reveals that many aren’t as relaxed as they think they are.

Be careful on the icy roads in Scotland as over a quarter of Scottish drivers surveyed admitted to getting angry and aggressive in the car, which can only worsen given the current conditions 

47% of Scots are likely to lose their cool if they get stuck in a traffic jam in the snow, resulting in 87% admitting to swearing at other drivers 

Whilst it’s good to have a co-driver if you do take to the road be careful who you choose, nearly 1 in 10 Scots get annoyed with their partners chatting to them in the car! 

Driving in bad weather can make the most confident driver nervous, it can also lead to bad decision making so be wary if you’re journey takes you to the South West as they admitted being the most nervous 

Yorkshire is home to the most confident drivers with just over 40% claiming to never get lost and despite re-routing due to the weather they claim to always knowing the route they’re taking 

Getting stuck in the snow in Ireland may not be so bad, as the Northern Irish come out tops as the friendliest, happiest drivers on the roads with 50% of them rarely getting angry in the car which could be down to the fact over a third of them pack chill out CDs to listen to on their journey 

It is no surprise to learn that nearly 60% of Londoners would like less traffic on the road. Whilst the snow hasn’t badly affected Central London, one third always packing a sat nav to help them negotiate the unpredictable streets.

Commenting on the research, Peter Blampied, UK Country Manager said “Driving any distance in this bad weather can be challenging. We hope this research will make drivers be more aware of other people’s attitudes when taking to the road, especially in the current conditions, to help avoid as many problems as possible whether it’s the traffic or other drivers on the road.”

Whilst NAVIGON can’t promise traffic jam-free travel, they can equip you with the best possible navigation technology to make your journey as pain-free as possible with a variety of features including TMC Traffic information or Navigon Live Services which help drivers avoid traffic congestion and road works as well as Lane Assistant, MyRoutes, Clever Parking and Reality View.

This research by NAVIGON is part of a wider European study examining driver behaviour in the UK and on the continent. NAVIGON look forward to sharing further findings in the coming months.