Tailgaters most common cause of roadrage

A poll of 1000 New Zealand drivers asked what habits were found to be the most annoying. Photo / Thinkstock

Drivers that follow closely behind the car in front are the most likely to be annoying their fellow motorists, according to a national poll.

A Colmar Brunton poll of 1000 New Zealand drivers asked what habits were found to be the most annoying in other drivers, with tailgaters the most common cause of road rage.

Tailgaters, drivers that don't use indicators and texting drivers were the three most annoying habits.

Crawlers, or people who drive slowly, were also considered annoying, and people who use their cellphone for calls rounded out the top five most annoying.

Colmar Brunton chief executive Jacqueline Farman said the survey results indicated drivers found it a lot easier to identify shortcomings in other drivers than in themselves.

"When confronted with a list of fairly common annoying driver behaviours, half of those surveyed claimed none of these described their own driving," she said.

"Those over 40-years-old are less likely than younger drivers to admit their faults which could be interpreted as the older generation thinking they are okay but disapproving of the way younger drivers behave on the roads."

Driver dislikes are to some extent defined by the way they themselves drive, Mrs Farman said.

"Crawlers are significantly more likely than other drivers to dislike tailgaters while those who admit to not indicating or texting while they drive are far less likely than most to see these as annoying behaviours."

Most annoying drivers:

When asked to say which three types of driver they most dislike, the 10 most popular responses were as follows:

•49 per cent - The tailgater (someone who follows too close behind you)

•42 per cent - The non-indicator (someone who does not indicate)

•The texter (someone who texts while driving) 32 per cent

•The crawler (someone who drives too slowly) 28 per cent

•The cellphone caller (someone who talks on their phone) 26 per cent

•The cut off (someone who cuts you off) 24 per cent

•The right lane hog (driving slowly in the passing lane) 21 per cent

•The fullbeamer (someone with blindingly bright lights) 20 per cent

•The weasel (someone who tries to sneak into traffic) 16 per cent

•The light gambler (someone who ignores traffic lights) 14 per cent