All of them consider themselves 'good' or 'very good' drivers
German drivers in Germany are very convinced of their own driving style. Over 80 percent consider themselves to be at least "good" drivers. However, many drivers also frequently violate traffic regulations.
German drivers have a high self-esteem - however, many of them also recognize risky driving behavior in themselves. According to a representative survey published by the ADAC, 82 percent of drivers rate themselves as "good" or even "very good" drivers.
17 percent consider themselves to be "average", while only one percent rate themselves as "bad". The criteria they consider most important are anticipatory driving, recognizing risks, and considerate behavior towards other road users.
However, these self-assessments are contradicted by the fact that 47 percent of drivers occasionally drive faster than allowed, and every third driver does not always maintain sufficient distance. In addition, almost every third driver eats or drinks at the wheel. With 16 percent, almost every sixth driver can easily be provoked.
Sixteen percent of all interviewees admitted to using their mobile phone illegally at the wheel. In the young age group up to 29 years, this was as high as 35 percent. The representative survey was conducted by the Bilendi Institute on behalf of the ADAC Car Insurance in June, interviewing 1000 drivers aged 18 and over.
Despite their self-proclaimed driving skills, 47% of these German drivers admitted to occasionally exceeding the speed limit, as per the ADAC survey. Furthermore, every third driver fails to maintain a sufficient distance, a violation often overlooked by self-assessments.
