Smiles Per Hour
Published: 17th May 2005
The most cheerful driver on the road is female, aged 24 or less, driving a green coloured VW Beetle on a sunny day, listening to Bob Marley while chewing sugar free gum and looking forward to a date.
In National Smile Week (15 - 21), research for the RAC Foundation has discovered the secret to getting the maximum Smiles per Hour (SPH) out of motoring.
But according to the RAC Foundation, a smile can also be the driver’s number one tool in avoiding road rage and confrontation on the highway.
Conrad King, the Foundation’s consultant psychologist said:
"A smile is a perfect non-verbal appeasement gesture that one motorist can give to another when they have made a mistake. Hand gestures can be misinterpreted but a smile is always a smile"
"As well as a way of calming other motorists down or apologising for a driving error, when we smile we release endorphins, which are the body’s naturally produced opiate, into our system - giving a feeling of calmness, happiness and well being. Three qualities that are often in short supply in modern hectic living."
Cars with smile power on the bonnet
All of these cars appear to have "happy" faces on their bonnets. They also evoke a similar nostalgia to oldies tracks, but enhance the sense of freedom and adventure that can come with driving.
- VW Beetle (old and new)
- New Mini
- Citroen 2CV
- Nissan Micra
- Daihatsu Copen
- Fiat Panda
- Mazda MX-5
- E-Type jag
- Renault Megane (though it actually the rear that’s makes people smile in this case, not the front)
Cars that make you frown
These cars could all be seen as "stern" looking - the ability of onlookers to "read" faces and expressions may lead to a personification in interpretation and the perception that these vehicles are authoritarian and functional rather than fun.
- Renault Espace
- Mercedes E Class estate
- Nissan X-Trail
- Volvo S60
- Fiat Doblo
- Ford Orion
- Ssangyong/Daewoo Musso
- Skoda Estelle
Sue Nicholson, Head of Campaigns for the RAC Foundation said: "Research has shown that around 15 minutes of laughter a day can set you on the road to good health, helping to reduce the risk of heart disease, stress and depression.
"Next time you feel like throttling another driver, smile instead, it could well diffuse a difficult situation. Having a giggle in a traffic jam can also be a great de-stresser so keep an upbeat CD, comedy tape or something that makes you feel "grin-tastic" in the car. When you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you - especially when you are also driving a car."
