New research has revealed that a fifth of motorists have struggled to get to grips with driving again after being off the road during the coronavirus lockdown.
The average UK car is driven more than 7,000 miles per year – or an average of 583 miles per month, according to MOT data.
But a survey of 2,000 motorists by Hyundai UK indicates that over the past 28 days the average driver has covered just 90 miles – with 30% driving 25 miles or fewer.
With so little driving, 18% have struggled to get back to normal behind the wheel of a car.
Of those who have found it difficult to adjust to being back on the road, 28% had stalled their car, 21% had scraped their wheels on the kerb and more than one in five have forgotten to indicate.
Four in 10 motorists said they hadn’t visited a filling station over the past 28 days, with 12% admitting that they had forgotten which side or end they fill up or charge their car.
Top 10 errors made by drivers since lockdown
- Stalled
- Struggled to parallel park
- Forgot to indicate
- Scraped wheels on kerb
- Had to think carefully about what each pedal does
- Not checking mirrors when pulling away
- Forgot where the filler cap was
- Forgot to turn the ignition key
- Not shut the door properly
- Not put their seatbelt on
“Absence can make the heart grow fonder and our research found that 45% of motorists have missed driving because of lockdown,” said a spokesperson for Hyundai UK.
“Like with many things, there can be a few teething issues after a break and driving is no different.
“With a little care and practice though, I’m sure that motorists will soon get their confidence back behind the wheel.”
