Do you quietly feel you have better-than-average driving skills? It turns out a whole lot of people feel the same way. Survey after survey reveals that most of us assume we’re better than average when it comes to driving – even though that’s a statistical impossibility!

So are we all deluded, or did everyone else on the road actually find their driving licence in a cereal box? It’s time for a deep-dive Carma investigation.

Our self-rated driving skills? They’re superb

Time and time again we think our own driving skills are above par. A 2023 study replicated the findings of an original 1981 study, which showed the majority of people thought themselves safer and better at driving than their typical fellow driver. Over 90% of participants in the 2023 research believed themselves to be safer than the median driver.

Meanwhile, a 2021 survey by RAC found that 73% of young Australian drivers rate their driving skills as either better or much better than other drivers in their age group. That’s despite 40% of the same age group admitting to being involved in a crash while driving.

And a 2022 study of Aussie drivers found that 71% of ute drivers believe their own concern for safety to be above average compared to other drivers.

The math ain’t mathing – so what’s going on here?

Why do most of us think we’re better than average drivers?

Apparently it’s perfectly normal for us to be overly confident about our own driving skills and intentions. This could be due to a phenomenon called illusory superiority, also known as the above-average effect.

What on earth is illusory superiority?

Illusory superiority is a cognitive bias in which people overestimate their own abilities and qualities compared to others. It helps to explain why we might tut-tut other drivers on the road, while making the odd mistake ourselves that we conveniently forget about. Illusory superiority often rears up when people are asked to rate themselves on desirable traits and skills, including things like popularity and honesty.

It turns out, plenty of us have main-character energy in assuming we’re the skilled ones navigating through a sea of complete morons. This doesn’t make us jerks – it probably just makes us human, seeing as this is a well documented phenomenon. Illusory superiority can also be shaped by culture, so you might be less likely to think you’re above par if you live in a culture that encourages humility.

What is ‘average’, anyway?

The above-average effect might also apply in part because none of us know how skilful the average driver actually is. We might see others bump their car into a curb or have a quick daydream at the lights, and assume that’s how they drive most of the time. The resulting thoughts are probably something like: “What is the world coming to? I’m surrounded by full-time maniacs!”

Of course, in reality we’re all prone to making mistakes – and we could well be the ‘other driver’ that those ‘other drivers’ are judging. We’re probably all pretty average – just like everyone else!

Really want to be a good driver? Admit that you’re not

Funnily enough, a 2017 Duke University study found that the more willing someone was to entertain the possibility they might be wrong, the better choices they tended to make. So perhaps the trick to us all being good drivers is actually to accept that we’re not particularly good drivers. Embrace that mediocrity, and ironically you might just be better for it!

So a dash of intellectual humility could help us improve our driving skills. But mastering the roads isn't just about skill – it's also about having the right wheels.

Find your new second-hand car the skilful way

If the time has come to update your car, might we suggest you consider trying the method that’s quickly becoming popular: finding second-hand cars online? Carma makes it so easy to browse, reserve and buy from a vast range of quality pre-checked used cars, all with fair pricing and no need to haggle. You get a 7-day return window and 3-month warranty, plus free delivery or pick-up within Greater Sydney. It eliminates practically all the sucky parts about buying a used car – so head on over to find your ride.