Friendliest roads in the world – Where South Africa ranks

South Africa ranks 12th on the index of the friendliest drivers in the world.

This is according to research by AutoTrader UK, who asked 3,200 citizens with valid driving licences all over the globe a series of questions to find out where in the world are the friendliest drivers.

In the study, participants were tasked to answer questions from the “Agreeableness” section of the widely respected Big 5 Personality Test, which measures traits like kindness, empathy, and cooperativeness.

Drivers self-reported how agreeable they considered themselves in various driving scenarios, as well as answering questions about the kind of uncourteous behaviours they have exhibited, such as the frequency of honking, tailgating, using obscene gestures, and verbal aggression.

Through cross-referencing these answers with their agreeableness scores, AutoTrader UK was able to draw up a “Friendly Driving Score” index to see which drivers around the world deem themselves the “friendliest.”

“Agreeableness is particularly relevant in evaluating friendliness and cooperative behaviour. It measures characteristics such as trust, altruism, kindness, and compassion – traits that naturally extend to how people behave behind the wheel,” said the company.

“By focusing on Agreeableness, our study identified drivers that are most likely to exhibit patience, courtesy, and a willingness to share the road.”

The results

The table below, as provided by AutoTrader UK, shows the 15 countries with the friendliest drivers around the world:

With a score of 35.40, the UK leads the rankings as the country with the most polite and agreeable drivers.

British drivers are known for strictly adhering to road rules and have courteous customs such as signalling well in advance and allowing others to merge in traffic.

The UK’s comprehensive driving tests and the emphasis on lane discipline may also contribute to these “friendly” traits, as do cultural values around politeness and a “keep calm” attitude.

These characteristics were found in most of the other top 10 countries, too.

Drivers in these nations generally have a willingness to give way to others, to stop and help those in need, and to be patient with one another.