More than eight in ten UK drivers have avoided driving somewhere because they expected the journey to be too stressful or difficult, according to MoneySuperMarket’s new UK Driveability Report.
The report examines the experience of driving across 58 UK cities, boroughs and local authority areas. MoneySuperMarket combined road infrastructure, congestion, traffic, road safety, road conditions, vehicle crime and insurance data to produce an overall driveability score for each location.
It also commissioned a survey of more than 2,000 UK drivers, with 81% saying they had decided against driving somewhere because of the expected difficulty or stress.
What drivers find most stressful
The survey found that the most common sources of driving stress were:
- Impatient or aggressive drivers including tailgating and beeping — 64.9%
- Bad weather — 64.8%
- Driving in an unfamiliar place — 59.6%
- Heavy traffic or congestion — 59.1%
- Driving while running late or working to a deadline — 58.6%
- Navigating bus lanes, congestion charges and restricted zones — 55.4%
London was named the place drivers would find most stressful, selected by 62% of respondents.
Olivia Baldock-Ward, DIA’s Head of Training and Advisory Services, contributed to the MoneySuperMarket report. She said: “Driving in a busy urban environment can place a significant cognitive demand on a driver. It is rarely one individual factor that causes stress; it is usually the combination of traffic volume, unfamiliar or complex road layouts, pedestrians and cyclists, frequent junctions, changing speed limits and the behaviour of other drivers.
“Pressure from other road users can be particularly challenging. Tailgating, aggressive overtaking or showing frustration can make a less confident driver feel they need to make a decision more quickly than they are comfortable with.
“Familiarity can also reduce the workload involved in driving. On an unfamiliar journey, drivers may need to follow navigation instructions, read signs, select the correct lane and monitor surrounding traffic at the same time. “
The most challenging locations
Croydon ranked as the most challenging location in the UK Driveability Report, followed by:
- Croydon
- Derby
- Manchester
- Leeds
- Preston
Croydon recorded more than 3,700 road incidents in 2024, while Derby experienced one of the largest increases in local traffic volumes covered by the research.
Locations with fewer driving challenges
Bath achieved the highest overall driveability score and was identified as the location presenting the fewest challenges. The five highest-ranked areas were:
- Bath
- Lincoln
- Oxford and Oxfordshire
- Reading
- York
MoneySuperMarket said good road conditions and clear signage can help reduce stress, with almost a third of surveyed drivers identifying these as important factors.
Drivers can explore the full location rankings, use the interactive map and read the driving-confidence advice in MoneySuperMarket’s UK Driveability Report.
