Backseat Drivers: The Real Road Hazard?

AA Insurance’s latest motor survey¹ found a whopping 82% of Kiwis admit to being a backseat driver, with almost half (45%) saying they do it regularly. A third of motorists felt that having an overzealous backseat driver negatively affected their driving.

Backseat driving behaviours can include sudden reactions to the driver’s decision-making behind the wheel, navigation interjections, and providing unsolicited driving advice – to name a few.

AA Insurance Head of Motor Claims, Beau Paparoa, says, “Many of us have experienced a passenger who believes they’re providing “helpful” advice, or we’re guilty of being an overly enthusiastic backseat driver ourselves.

“While commentary and driving feedback might be well-meaning from passengers, our survey suggests it can turn even the calmest car trip into a distracting experience for drivers, impacting their ability to focus on the road,” said Paparoa.

Interestingly, the survey revealed a gender divide with 51% of women fessing up to regularly being backseat drivers, compared to only 39% of men.

37% of women said their driving was negatively impacted by having a backseat driver in the car when they are the one behind the wheel², compared to 28% of men.

AA Insurance is reminding passengers to rethink their role in the car – including what they can do to foster a supportive and calm environment for the driver.

“We know drivers already face a raft of other distractions – such as the behaviours of other road users, roadworks and the temptation to glance at your phone or change the music.

“While there may be times when a backseat driver’s input is welcome or worthwhile – such as spotting hazards or calling out bad behaviours like speeding – overdoing it when the driver is otherwise driving well can become overwhelming and even increase the risk of accidents if a driver becomes distracted by you,” said Paparoa.

“As the roads get busier as Kiwis head away this summer, we are encouraging passengers to support drivers by staying calm, creating a positive road trip environment and offering help only when necessary, so we can all arrive out our destinations safely this summer.”

_{1 AA Insurance research conducted by Kantar. A nationally representative sample of over 972 New Zealand drivers (aged 18+) completed an online survey in October 2024 (margin of error 3.1%)}

_{2 33% responded that back seat drivers had a negative impact on their driving. This was 28% amongst males and 37% amongst females.}