Follow a friend or a Sat Nav?

We’ve all been there. You don’t know how to get somewhere so your friend suggests you follow them in their car. It seems almost cosy, that link with another vehicle on the road, but be careful because a study has shown that following another vehicle in the car can actually be quite dangerous.

The study was carried out in Arizona, USA by undergraduate students. Sixteen participants drove through a stimulated city under three different scenarios:

• One in which they could choose their own route to a destination


• A second where they had GPS and could listen to directions


• A third scenario where they had to follow a vehicle as if it was a friend giving them directions

And it turned out that the third scenario carried the most risks. As part of the experiment, the driver following the other car was given a number of decision making scenarios such as lights on the verge of changing.

It turned out that the pressure of having to keep up with a car and worry about not getting lost was to blame. Drivers went more quickly, took significantly less time when changing lanes and generally made more erratic choices.

And the study mentioned that in real life, the driver that is being followed, is often doing a route that they know really well. This can means that they could be driving more quickly than normal because they know where they’re going – putting all the more pressure on the driver following.

So next time this sounds like a really good idea, have a think about whether or not there’s another option. Or at least, remind the leading driver that they need to take it slow.

Find out more about the study here.