How was your drive to the office this morning? Frustrating? Stuck in the daily traffic jam? Well, according to a study by Continental Tyres, motorists in the UK will spend 58 working weeks, or more than a year, of their lives not moving in traffic on their daily commute.
This adds up to over 100 million lost working days every year for the more than 18m workers who commute by car.
Covering an average round trip of 28 miles, the typical journey to work and home again takes 41 minutes, with 12 minutes lost every day in jams and delays.
The study of 2000 motorists for Continental Tyres established the routine and habits of commuters as well as their preferences.
“People are clearly concerned about congestion and rising fuel costs,” Tim Bailey, head of safety at Continental Tyres, said, “but using the car remains the preferred option for most.
“With 63% of workers using their car on at least four of five days in the working week, planners and government need to recognise that the morning and evening rush-hour is going to be a feature of life in Britain for some time to come.
“For individuals it means frustration, but for the economy as a whole it means lost productivity and increased emissions, so it remains a key issue to tackle.”
The research also reveals that 14% of commuters car-share.
The environmental impact of motoring is a factor when workers decide how they commute, however it only ranked as the fourth most important consideration.
The biggest concern that prompted people to find an alternative was the volume of traffic and the lack of available parking.
Half of all Brits say they will leave their car at home if fuel costs rise further, however 45% of those using public transport now would switch to their car if petrol prices drop.
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About Jim McGill
Jim McGill is an award-winning motoring and motorsport journalist with more than 25 years' industry experience. He contributes to a number of newspapers and magazines, including The Times, Telegraph, Daily Mail, Scotsman, Sunday Herald and AA Magazine.
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