Key points
- The map scores 22 European countries on a “driving hypocrisy” index: how far drivers’ behaviour falls short of what people say is acceptable.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina has the highest score (24), followed by Greece (21), Finland and Luxembourg (20 each). The United Kingdom has the lowest (10), then Germany (12) and Poland (13).
- Speeding on motorways shows the biggest gap: 13.2% find it acceptable, but 49.7% say they did it in the last 30 days.
- The study is by the car parts retailer Motointegrator with DataPulse Research, using road safety survey data from the Vias Institute in Brussels.
The Europe driving map in text
Title: European Countries by Driving Hypocrisy Score. The legend groups scores into Minimal, Moderate, Significant and Extreme, on a scale marked from 11 to 23. Countries without a score are shown in dark grey.
| Country | Hypocrisy score | Group |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 10 | Minimal |
| Germany | 12 | Minimal |
| Poland | 13 | Minimal |
| Denmark | 14 | Moderate |
| Ireland | 14 | Moderate |
| Italy | 14 | Moderate |
| Austria | 15 | Moderate |
| Belgium | 15 | Moderate |
| Czechia | 15 | Moderate |
| France | 15 | Moderate |
| Netherlands | 15 | Moderate |
| Sweden | 15 | Moderate |
| Switzerland | 16 | Moderate |
| Spain | 17 | Significant |
| Serbia | 18 | Significant |
| Slovenia | 18 | Significant |
| Latvia | 19 | Significant |
| Portugal | 19 | Significant |
| Finland | 20 | Extreme |
| Luxembourg | 20 | Extreme |
| Greece | 21 | Extreme |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 24 | Extreme |
The gap between what people believe and how they actually behave
| Behaviour | % who find it acceptable | % who did it in the last 30 days | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driving shortly after taking drugs | 2.6% | 7.2% | 4.6 points |
| Drunk driving | 2.7% | 11.6% | 8.9 points |
| Not wearing a seatbelt | 4.8% | 15.0% | 10.2 points |
| Not securing children properly | 2.8% | 18.3% | 15.5 points |
| Holding a phone during a call | 4.3% | 22.2% | 17.9 points |
| Reading a phone | 3.1% | 23.2% | 20.1 points |
| Speeding on motorways | 13.2% | 49.7% | 36.5 points |
Note on the graphic: “Scores calculated using a weighted average of the ‘hypocrisy gaps’ for seven dangerous driving behaviours. The ‘hypocrisy gap’ is the difference between the share of drivers who admit to the bad behaviour and the share of people who find it acceptable. The weights are based on how dangerous the driving behaviour is.” Footer: Motointegrator x Data Pulse. Source: Motointegrator.
About the study
Motointegrator announced the study, titled “European Countries with the Most Hypocritical Drivers”, in a press release on 16 October 2024 [1]. It was carried out with DataPulse Research and analysed driving behaviour in 22 European countries using data from the Brussels-based Vias Institute, looking at seven problem behaviours [1]. The release describes the graphic above as “the official infographic with all key findings” and links a fuller report on Motointegrator’s German site [1].
Motointegrator’s chief executive Anna Ganska is quoted as saying: “What we found is that people are quick to decry bad judgement behind the wheel, but don’t always exercise sound judgement themselves.” [1]
For every behaviour in the chart, the share who admit doing it is higher than the share who find it acceptable. The smallest gap is for driving after taking drugs (4.6 points) and the largest is for speeding on motorways (36.5 points).
Notes on this infographic
- UK below the scale. The UK’s score of 10 is below the lowest number on the legend (11), and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 24 is above the highest (23). The arrows on the legend suggest the end groups are open-ended.
- Not country by country. The behaviour chart does not say whether its percentages are averages across all 22 countries or pooled responses.
- Weights not given. The note says each behaviour is weighted by how dangerous it is, but the graphic does not publish the weights, so the scores cannot be recalculated from the figures shown.
- Self-reported data. The note describes drivers who “admit” to each behaviour, so both measures are what people reported, not observed driving.
- Full report. Motointegrator’s report page blocks automated visits, so we used the press release [1].
Questions about driving hypocrisy in Europe
Which European country has the most hypocritical drivers?
Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a driving hypocrisy score of 24, the highest of the 22 European countries in the study by Motointegrator and DataPulse Research. Greece is second with 21, followed by Finland and Luxembourg with 20 each, and all four are in the map's Extreme group. The score measures how far drivers' behaviour falls short of what people say is acceptable.
Which country has the least hypocritical drivers in Europe?
The United Kingdom, with a score of 10, the lowest of the 22 countries on the map. Germany (12) and Poland (13) come next, and all three are in the Minimal group. The UK's score is below the lowest number on the map's legend, which starts at 11, so the lowest group appears to be open-ended.
How many drivers admit to speeding on motorways?
In the study, 49.7% said they had sped on motorways in the last 30 days, while only 13.2% find it acceptable. That gap of 36.5 points is the largest of the seven behaviours in the chart. Both figures are self-reported, so they show what people said rather than observed driving.
How is the driving hypocrisy score calculated?
It is a weighted average of the "hypocrisy gaps" for seven dangerous driving behaviours, where each gap is the share of drivers who admit to a behaviour minus the share of people who find it acceptable. The weights are based on how dangerous each behaviour is, but the graphic does not publish them, so the scores cannot be recalculated. The study used survey data from the Vias Institute in Brussels [1].
Sources
- DataPulse GmbH via Newsfile, Motointegrator Announces the Results of Their Latest Study Revealing the Most Hypocritical Drivers in Europe, 16 October 2024.
Last reviewed 30 October 2026
