Stay away from my car, say British drivers

Research from insurer Liverpool Victoria has revealed that British motorists just don’t trust their friends or family behind the wheel of their car. According to the research 68 per cent of Brits do not trust their loved ones to drive their cars, with mums and best friends being the least trusted. In fact, most people listed at least one member of their close family whom they didn’t trust to drive their car, with siblings, daughters, spouses, partners, fathers and fiancés all making the list. Among the under 30s, 19 per cent did not trust their best friend with their car and 29 per cent did not trust their siblings.

The reasons for the lack of trust vary, with 23 per cent of women worrying about people speeding when driving their car. In contrast, men are more concerned about the driver’s inexperience. Less than 10 per cent of Brits are worried about reckless driving, road rage, a history of accidents or previous brushes with the law. Parking was a concern for only eight per cent of men and two per cent of women. Drivers who were nervous or easily distracted were also seen as a big risk.

John O’Roarke, Managing Director at Liverpool Victoria General Insurance, said: ‘The dilemma faced by motorists seems to be how to tell their friends and loved ones that, despite trusting them with most other things in life, they don’t trust them to drive their cars. However, it’s encouraging to see that the British motorist does not hand over the car keys easily and is conscious of the potential risks.’

He warned that motorists should ensure that anyone who was allowed to drive their car had adequate insurance cover, adding that it might be wise to add the person as a named driver on the insurance policy.