What Riles Drivers Most
Study shows top pet peeves, along with drivers’ secret judgments about other motorists.

Over a quarter of poll respondents say they themselves are innocent of the hated trespasses.
Pexels/Roman Pohorecki
A poll confirms what most drivers already knew: Driving can be a pain in the you know what. The results reveal just which irritants rankle the most.
At the top of drivers’ pet peeves list, as revealed in the LendingTree survey, sits texting while driving, a practice that’s illegal in most states but that happens nonetheless.
More than half of drivers who acknowledge having pet peeves on the road – and 92% say they have them – point to texting drivers as the worst of them. The most common peeving offense among respondents who admitted to committing them is, you guessed it, texting while driving.
“Texting while driving is deadly and inexcusable,” says LendingTree auto insurance specialist Rob Bhatt. “In the amount of time it takes to send a note or check your screen, you can miss seeing cars stopped in unexpected freeway traffic in front of you or a worker on the side of the road. It’s 100% avoidable.”
The poll found the second- and third-ranking pet peeves are driving slowly in a passing lane, 44%, and drivers who block fellow travelers from merging, 41%.
Perhaps ironically, 27% of poll respondents say they themselves are innocent of such trespasses.
Irritating other drivers can of course have consequences. The study found the unsurprising fact that driving can raise people’s dander.
Half of respondents said they’ve experienced what they consider road rage, and half of those said it moved them to drive aggressively. Traffic tempers were more common among men – 56% versus 43% of women, and especially among the youngest drivers – 62% of generation Z drivers and 59% of millennial ones.
The poll revealed other interesting road habits and prejudices. For more detail, visit the test results page.
LEARN MORE: Most Drivers Would Accept Speed-Warning Tech
Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today
More Industry

Another Carmaker Embraces Robots
Mitsubishi and a Japan-based startup plan to make humanoids at a home-country factory to use in auto manufacturing and to sell to others.
Read More →
Auto Workforce Impacted by Skills Gaps
The transition to electric vehicles has impacted the automotive workforce in many ways, including the need for education and skills training on emerging technologies.
Read More →
Auto Group Transitions to Employee Ownership
An Ohio-based automotive group transitioned to 100% employee ownership, or an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, with the stated intent of supporting its legacy and growth.
Read More →
Amplify 2026 Billed as Turning Innovation Into Results
Reynolds and Reynolds says its annual retail summit will connect dealers with practical strategies, peer insight, and technology-driven ideas.
Read More →
Early Service Introductions
In this video, Josh Krach explains how early service introductions can help each department in the dealership.
Read More →
Automakers Develop Car Sanitizer
Hyundai and Kia say the particular ultraviolet light used in the technology has been demonstrated to kill the vast majority of a potentially harmful bacterium inside a vehicle.
Read More →
European EV Market Hits Record
Seven out of the top 10 electric vehicles sold so far in 2026 in Europe are by European brands, and automakers are seeing the power train fill up their order books.
Read More →
Used EVs Outpace New
While North American electric-vehicle sales remain down year-over-year, May sales saw a 3% increase from April’s numbers as used EVs led the market.
Read More →
Consumer Outlook on the Rise
Younger generations are feeling more positive about their financial futures and current affordability pressures than older generations, according to recent TransUnion data.
Read More →
AutoNation Acquires Top Toyota Store
The automotive group added Toyota of Newnan, a high-performing dealership in Georgia, to its roster of over 300 rooftops across the U.S.
Read More →