The behaviors that make us see red in traffic

We've dug into what annoys us Swedes the most in traffic. And the results show that it's not always the most dangerous behaviors that arouse the most reactions and anger.

Exceeding the speed limit is the most common etiquette violation on Swedish roads. A full 68 percent of the participants in the survey admitted that they sometimes succumb to this temptation. This is followed by using a mobile phone or other distractions while driving, such as eating or applying makeup (27%), and honking and gesturing at other drivers (21%).

But despite the risks of driving faster than the speed limit, it's not something that most of us get particularly upset about. Only 15 percent consider it one of the worst examples of bad road etiquette.

Aggressive driving bothers us the most

What causes the most irritation is instead aggressive driving (55%), that is, a driving style that does not take other road users into account. As previously mentioned, one in five admits to this by honking and gesticulating. In second place is the even more common behavior of using a mobile phone, or engaging in other activities that take focus away from driving (54%).

The list also includes lack of respect for pedestrians and cyclists (44%), littering (41%), not using turn signals (38%), and parking where it is prohibited or blocking other cars.

– Most of the behaviors that we find most annoying in traffic are extremely common. In fact, they are so common that we can conclude that some people sometimes fall for the same bad behavior that bothers them, and it is difficult to demand from others something that you yourself do not live up to, says Daniel Odsberg, Sales Manager Kvdbil . In order to increase safety on the roads and promote a positive driving experience for everyone, we must start with ourselves. We must think about how we want our fellow road users to behave and then do the same ourselves.

Men overrepresented

In all cases of bad behavior, men are overrepresented. The biggest difference can be seen when it comes to using indicators, where 21 percent of men said they sometimes ignore this, compared to just 14 percent of women. There are also age differences, with younger drivers exhibiting the worst behavior. For example, they stand out by driving aggressively more often, engaging in distractions, and throwing out trash.

The List: Worst Etiquette Violations

1. Aggressive driving such as honking, gesturing, or other aggressive behavior: 55%

2. Using a cell phone, eating, applying makeup, or being otherwise distracted while driving: 54%

3. Not showing respect for pedestrians and cyclists: 44%

4. Throwing trash or cigarette butts out the window: 41%

5. Not using turn signals before an exit or lane change: 38%

6. Parking in prohibited areas or blocking other vehicles: 31%

7. Not following the rules regarding giving way, for example in roundabouts: 30%

8. Refuse to give preference: 27%

9. Exceeding speed limits: 15%

10. Using high beams incorrectly: 14%

11. Other: 4%

About the survey
The survey was conducted in Kantar Media's web panel (Sifopanelen) during the period 4–8 January 2024. A total of 1316 people aged 18-79 were interviewed, of which 1055 had access to a car. The web panel is nationally representative and recruited based on random selection. There is no self-recruitment in Kantar Media's web panel (Sifopanelen).