A study reveals the driving habits of Spaniards

Each of us is very much ourselves when driving. It is difficult to say how we generally behave at the wheel of our car, but some organisations try to show us what we are like when we get in the car. These are studies that collect data from a significant sample of drivers and then shape it to draw conclusions that, in many cases, prove useful in understanding our driving habits.

According to the institute that has been carrying out this study since last year, having a survey that asks about the driving habits of Spaniards can be very useful, both for public institutions, which can see how drivers behave day to day, and for the industry. The industry can draw its own conclusions about what users need and adapt its offering to meet those needs.

Electric cars are seen as a solution to traffic in cities, but they are still perceived as expensive

One finding that I found very revealing, according to the report drawn up after processing the data obtained, is that 76% of respondents believe the solution to traffic and pollution in cities could come from the use of electric vehicles. A surprising answer, because only 5% of them have had the chance to drive a vehicle of this kind.

The curious data on this question continues: of all respondents, 71% have never used one, but would like to. And that is where 24% of respondents come in, who would not want to see one even in a photo. The reason? The well-known battery limitation and cost. I suppose charging time, still very long, also plays a part. Are the brands’ efforts to offer a more attractive image of electric vehicles failing?

Perhaps, but it should be remembered that little by little, hybrid cars are carving out an important place in the market, and purely electric models are improving their performance, not only in the top range, represented by Tesla and other Premium brands. Even so, we can see there is still a long way to go.

But returning to the II Mobility Habits Survey, it also tells us that 25% of car users use their mobile phone while driving. This dangerous habit is mitigated when we learn that 86% of them do so using hands-free, and that it decreases as age increases. As for traffic jams, the average duration is usually 20 minutes, which is what 58% of drivers habitually encounter on their regular journeys. In cities such as Madrid, 48% of those surveyed in the city say that jams, so normal for them, exceed 20 minutes.

And note that we seem increasingly aware of how difficult it is to drive in city centres, since only 13% of those surveyed use a car for this purpose. The use of public transport is growing in cities. The bus leads, followed by the metro where available, and the share of people who use the bicycle has already reached 5%, largely thanks to the inclusion of urban bike rental schemes in cities.

The savings that car sharing offers for journeys is one of the points that leads 40% of respondents to say they have used it at least once.

The scope of this study was 1,622 interviews carried out in A Coruña, Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Seville and Valencia, and the metropolitan areas of Madrid and Barcelona, with respondents aged between 18 and 75. The interviews were conducted by telephone during June and July. With this data, we have something to learn and can improve our driving habits, although businesses and institutions also have lessons to learn.

Source | Alphabet