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Distracting backseat drivers are causing a quarter (24 per cent) of UK motorists to drive dangerously and put lives at risk, new research from Direct Line car insurance suggests. 

The research highlights that dangerous lapses in driver concentration due to passenger interruptions have resulted in over one million accidents and near misses amongst UK motorists. 

Opinionated passengers are also provoking a vengeful 1.7 million drivers to speed, switch lanes suddenly and brake unnecessarily. However, six in 10 (60 per cent) of backseat drivers genuinely think they are being helpful when they offer instructions and almost a fifth (18 per cent) claim they only speak up because they fear for their own safety. 

The most common backseat driver behaviour includes: 

• Volunteering unwanted directions (84 per cent)

• Inopportune panicked gasping (69 per cent)

• Constantly checking the speedometer (52 per cent) 

According to the Direct Line research it's not just a lack of concentration that drivers suffer from; almost a third (32 per cent) of motorists get stressed and annoyed by the actions of their passengers. 

Women prove to be the most easily irritated with nine per cent becoming so irritated and under pressure from backseat criticisms that they pull over and stop the vehicle. 

Partners take the blame for being the worst culprits for criticising, with over half of the nation (51 per cent) branding their other half a 'backseat driver.' 

Unsurprisingly, more than half (57 per cent) of all motorists think they are a better driver when they are alone in the car as they are able to give driving their full attention. 

Direct Line Motor spokesperson Emma Holyer commented: "Backseat drivers not only cause unnecessary stress, but are dangerously distracting [to] motorists, which is resulting in road accidents. 

"We urge all drivers to focus their minds 100 per cent on driving safely and concentrate on the road ahead rather than on a passenger, and if passengers are being distracting, drivers need to let them know." 

Direct Line is the UK's largest private motor insurer with over 3.1 million policyholders.

Source: Direct Line Insurance - Ref: 16/05