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Mercedes-Benz World: Testing Times for British Families

WEYBRIDGE – August 7, 2008: British motorists are putting their relationships with family and friends to the test when it comes to learning to drive.

According to new research from Mercedes-Benz World, a third of Brits learn to drive with their friends and family. Of these, 20 per cent admitted to having an argument, 13 per cent revealed they had shouted or screamed at each other and nine per cent had the “teacher” grab the steering wheel mid-lesson.

A further seven per cent revealed that their family feuding had led to either the learner having to stop and get out, the passenger using the handbrake whilst driving, or the ultimate embarrassment - being made to swap over part way through the lesson and be driven home.

Those tempted by the draw of free lessons should perhaps consider the long term costs and invest in as much tuition as possible before hitting the roads on their own. The research also showed that an alarming 19 per cent of the drivers surveyed had crashed within their first year of driving, with a slight increase in those taught by their parents.

The publication of the research comes as families are being invited to settle some scores with the Mercedes-Benz World Family Driving Challenge, running from now until 7th September.

Open to all members of the family taller than 1.5m, parents and children will go head-to-head completing a set of challenges to see who is the better driver.

Peter O’Halloran, managing director of Mercedes-Benz World, commented: “As our family driving challenge shows, parents aren’t always best equipped for teaching their children to drive. This is why our experienced driving instructors offer expert tips and advice to make sure learners perform to the best of their ability when they get behind the wheel.”

Mercedes-Benz World offers children’s driving experiences for just £35 for youngsters of any age, over 1.5m tall. Promoting safer driving for young motorists, the lessons comprise a range of fun activities designed to develop skills and road safety. A fully qualified instructor will take children out in a dual-controlled Mercedes-Benz or smart, where they will be taught how to handle and drive the car in a safe and controlled environment.

When it came to the worst areas for driving, 25 per cent of Londoners surveyed admitted to smashes within their first year compared to those in the South West, who fared far better with only 13 per cent experiencing prangs.

Finally, in the battle of the sexes, women fared slightly better in their first year on the road than men, with 134 reporting a crash compared to 169 of their male counterparts.