Australian drivers are much less active with their car horns than Canadian and American drivers are. That’s according to a new study by Compare the Market Australia, in which more than 3,000 respondents from across Australia, America, and Canada were surveyed.
The study found that 72.7% of Australian drivers reported using their car horns anywhere between once a month and once a year. In comparison, just over half of Canadian and American drivers reported the same rate of car horn usage. Only 4.5% of Australian drivers reported daily car horn usage, whereas 11.7% of Canadian drivers and 13.1% of American drivers reported the same.
Each country reported similar reasons for car horn usage, with preventing accidents and alerting distracted drivers being the primary use. Around 15.0% of Canadian drivers and American drivers reported that they use their horns to encourage others to speed up, whereas only 5.8% of Australian drivers reported using their car horns for this purpose.
| What are the most common reasons you use your vehicle horn? | |||
| Australia | Canada | United States | |
| To prevent an accident | 68.6% | 69.0% | 70.7% |
| To alert distracted drivers | 52.5% | 58.8% | 60.1% |
| Warning another driver of potential danger on the road | 22.3% | 33.9% | 29.2% |
| Encouraging other drivers to speed up | 5.8% | 13.6% | 12.4% |
| Encouraging other drivers to slow down | 4.8% | 7.1% | 8.6% |
| To express frustration or anger towards another driver | 20.1% | 24.4% | 20.6% |
| Communicating with other drivers (e.g., alerting others to my presence) | 21.0% | 32.6% | 28.5% |
| Saying hello/goodbye to someone I know | 32.0% | 30.8% | 33.1% |
| Other | 1.7% | 0.5% | 1.8% |
Overwhelmingly, drivers from each country reported car horns having been useful for preventing car accidents, with more than 70% of drivers in each country reporting the positive effects on road safety.
Compare the Market’s Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor, notes the importance of comprehensive car insurance for anyone who owns a car.
“As our survey shows, car horns can be useful on the road for communicating with other drivers and hopefully assuage reckless driving,” Mr Taylor said.
“Car horns are just another tool at our disposal as drivers to protect ourselves, and others, on the road.
“In the unfortunate event that your car horn isn’t enough, and you are involved in some form of car accident on the road, comprehensive car insurance can give you another layer of protection for your wallet.“It pays to compare insurance providers to find the right deal for you, your car, and your lifestyle.”
For full data, assets and methodology, please visit: Car Horn Habits
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For interviews and more information, please contact:
Lachlan Moore | [email protected]
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