Nearly four million motorists in the UK are so frustrated with irritating passengers that they always prefer to drive alone according to a survey by Continental Tyres.

This results in a further 14 million drivers preferring to travel alone most of the time.

As we get older we get less tolerant of others, with people in their fifties a third more likely to want to drive solo than those in their twenties.

Researchers found the average car-owner gets annoyed at least three times by their passengers’ behaviour during the typical car journey – taking just six minutes for their blood to boil. Tempers have flared so much for one in five behind the wheel that they have asked a passenger to get out of the car.

Unable to keep their hands, feet and thoughts to themselves, the Backseat Driver was named the most annoying passenger to have in the car. They brake hard before every junction, slam the dashboard with their hands in panic, comment on every turn, and account for more than four in ten irritating passengers.

Researchers studied the opinions of 4,000 drivers and it emerged a further one in ten fall under the ‘Fiddler’ category – those bored individuals that twiddle with buttons, air con and switch between radio stations.

And the ‘Road Rage’ – someone who embarrasses the driver with their fiery temper, instantly getting riled by other motorists on the road, uttering expletives, and at times waving rude hand gestures.

Tim Bailey, safety expert for Continental Tyres which carried out the study, said: “It is worrying that so many motorists are irritated to such extremes by their passengers. Driving is the time we need to be most alert, so a distraction such as an annoying passenger is likely to mean a driver losing concentration.”

Top 10 most annoying passengers

1. Backseat driver – unable to keep their hands, feet and thoughts to themselves, this sort of passenger can’t help but brake hard before every junction and slam the dashboard with their hands in panic.

2. The Fiddler – bored to tears by long journeys, this passenger spends hours twiddling knobs, changing stations, and playing with all buttons on the car dashboard.

3. The Know It All – keeps correcting the radio/sat nav/you – they know better than anyone about any subject.

4. Sleeper – this type of passenger falls asleep within minutes of setting off, snores through the whole journey and only wake upon reaching the destination.

5. The Drone – unable to keep quiet, this passenger incessantly chats away – normally first thing in the morning, when all you want is peace and quiet.

6. Road Rage – instantly gets riled by other motorists on the road, sometimes utters expletives, wave rude hand gestures.

7. Airhead – feeling ‘boxed’ in by the car, this passenger insists on spending the majority of the car journey with the windows down, the air conditioning on, and their head stuck out of the window.

8. The SatNag – their focus is on making sure you’re heading in the right direction, offers short-cuts and barks directions at you.

9. The Leaker – needs the toilet every 20 minutes and requires a service station break.

10. The Crooner – belts out every ballad they recognise on the radio with complete disregard to their inability to sing in tune.