Germany's drivers unhappy
German drivers are largely satisfied with their driving skills - yet many recognize risky behavior in themselves. According to a representative survey published by the ADAC on Thursday, 82 percent of drivers rate themselves as good or even very good drivers.
17 percent consider themselves average drivers, while only one percent see themselves as poor. The most important criteria identified by the interviewees were anticipatory driving, recognizing risks in good time, and considerate behavior towards other road users.
However, these self-assessments contrast with the fact that nearly every second driver (47 percent) occasionally drives faster than the speed limit, and every third driver does not always maintain sufficient distance. Nearly every third driver also eats or drinks at the wheel. Almost every sixth driver can be easily provoked.
Sixteen percent of all interviewees admitted to using their mobile phone illegally at the wheel. In the age group under 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 above.
Despite their high self-evaluations, Germany's drivers, as indicated by the ADAC-Survey, frequently engage in risky behaviors such as exceeding the speed limit (47%). Surprisingly, 16% of the participants in the survey admitted to using their mobile phones illegally while driving, with this figure rising to 35% among drivers under 29 years old.
