- 64% have been left waiting on green
for over 10 seconds – more than enough time for Usain Bolt to run
the 100m
- Drivers under 35 most likely to get
annoyed by those who are slow to pull away on green
It should only take three seconds to move off when traffic lights
change to green – new RAC research reveals – and anything longer
is very likely to lead to anger and frustration for those behind
waiting, particularly if they’re aged 44 or under.
Nearly half of the 2,498 drivers (46%) surveyed by the RAC* said
it should take no more than three seconds to get going on green,
with a third (35%) thinking between four and six seconds is a
reasonable time. A relaxed 7% are prepared for others to take as
long as they like to pull away.
While the overall level of frustration felt about drivers who are
slow to move off when the lights change is evenly split with 46%
saying they get annoyed and 54% saying it doesn’t bother them,
the younger the driver the more likely they are to be irritated.
The RAC suspects this might, however, be different if they were
one of the 44% who incredibly say they have been kept waiting for
more than 15 seconds by drivers who have failed to notice a
traffic light has gone green as that’s often long enough for
lights to change to red again. What’s more, it’s still the case
that most drivers (64%) have been left waiting for 10 or more
seconds – that’s more than the time it takes for world record
holder Usain Bolt to react to the starter’s gun and run 100
metres.
Men, generally, are more likely to be frustrated by other drivers
who are slow to react to lights going green than women (50% v
41%). Drivers from Yorkshire and the Humber region are the most
impatient in the UK with 55% confessing to getting annoyed by
‘slow coaches’ at traffic lights, compared drivers in Wales who
are the most accepting with just 34% getting annoyed.
Statistically speaking, those who get the most annoyed when
others are slow to react to the lights turning green are male
drivers aged between 17 and 34 with a huge 64% saying they get
frustrated.
Almost a third (17%) say they regularly don’t manage to get
through a set of traffic lights due to drivers in front being too
slow to move off. Seventy-five per cent say this happens to them
occasionally.
When questioned about why other drivers are slow to pull away at
the lights 72% said some people just don't pay enough attention
when waiting for them to change. More than four in 10 (43%),
however, believe those who do this are inconsiderate as fewer
drivers are able to get through before the green lights go red
again. A similar proportion (40%) blame the lack of awareness on
drivers who are checking their handheld phones illegally.
RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “While three seconds is
obviously a very short time, anything longer than this can start
to seem like an eternity when you desperately want to get through
a set of traffic lights and the person in front is taking forever
to get going. When you think that some lights only stay green for
15 seconds, this severely limits the number of vehicles that can
get through before red comes up again, and this in turn makes
jams – and potentially even air pollution – worse.
“The fact this is such a common issue means that too many drivers
– for whatever reasons – clearly aren’t paying enough attention
to what’s going around them when they’re stationary at traffic
lights. As well as increasing journey times, this could have a
road safety implication – particularly when people suddenly
realise the lights have changed and then hurriedly pull away
without properly checking their mirrors and making sure
everything is clear around them.
“While our findings back up the old saying about the ‘impatience
of youth’ with drivers under 35 being the most likely to get
annoyed at those who cause unnecessary delays at traffic lights,
it’s also the case that more drivers need to pay attention to the
lights and not use the time to daydream or worse to check their
handheld phones illegally. Just being ready to go could save
others lots of time at the wheel, not to mention keeping some
drivers’ blood pressure down.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
* The RAC surveyed 2,498 drivers as part of its Driver Opinion
Panel
