BMW and Kia drivers deemed most dangerous in new survey, but for different reasons
BMW drivers were deemed the most dangerous in a new global survey.
Image: Supplied
When it comes to dangerous driving antics, BMW and Kia drivers are thought to be the worst offenders, according to a new global survey, but for completely different reasons.
The study, conducted by car insurance expert MoneySuperMarket, surveyed around 4,800 drivers in over 20 countries, including South Africa, the UK, the USA, Brazil, and Australia.
It found that BMW drivers were perceived as the most dangerous when it came to “driving too fast”, “driving too aggressively”, and (huge surprise), “don’t signal/indicate”.
Kia drivers, on the other hand, were deemed the worst offenders when it came to “driving too slowly”. Those in Toyotas, Volvos, Hyundais, and Hondas were also implicated, just behind Kia drivers, for getting in the way with their slow driving habits.
Tesla owners topped the list for being “bad at parking”, followed by drivers of Fords, Hyundais, BMWs and Kias.
Are Kia drivers really slow? The evidence doesn't necessarily back up the perception.
Image: Supplied
When it comes to perceptions of driving too fast, BMW drivers are followed by Mercedes, Audi, Tesla and Subaru, while Ford drivers emerge as runners up in the “driving too aggressively” category, followed by Mercedes-Benz and Audi.
This is not the first time that BMW drivers have been implicated in surveys for bad behaviour. A UK study from earlier this year concluded that those driving the Bavarian brand's products were most likely to display narcissistic personality traits, while a 2021 study claimed BMW drivers were more likely to be psychopaths.
But perceptions are not always linked to the facts.
Interestingly, MoneySuperMarket’s own research showed that Audi tops the list of speeding offences declared on insurance policies, with BMW drivers ranking fifth behind Volkswagen, Mercedes and Honda. Kia drivers ranked 15th here, despite their reputation for getting in everyone’s way.
Audi, Volkswagen and Vauxhall drivers also accumulated fewer driving offences in the UK than BMW owners, the research showed.
But which drivers have the safest habits?
The same survey also ranked the brands according to five categories, with Volvo topping the list of most “courteous and polite” drivers, followed by Toyota, Kia, Hyundai and Honda.
Letting others merge, a big sticking point for many drivers, was a behaviour most often displayed by Toyota drivers, according to the respondents, followed by Kia, Volvo, Hyundai and Nissan drivers.
Volvo drivers topped the charts when it came to using turning signals properly and being good at parking.
“The study highlights personality assumptions linked to car ownership,” the researchers said.
“Toyota and Volvo drivers are most often seen as practical and sensible, while Hyundai drivers are perceived globally as modest and humble.”
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