Drivers 'spend 13 weeks at standstill'

Research by Kia has found that the average driver spends an incredible amount of time stuck in traffic jams - up to 91 days across a lifetime. The figure is based on the fact that, of those studied, the average journey to work is 47 minutes, but 12 of those are spent either completely stationary or crawling at up to 5mph.

And it's having a dramatic effect on our driving habits too, as two-thirds admit to speeding to make up for time lost in traffic queues once the jam clears, and one third claim to have experienced 'road rage' in heavy traffic, as frustration rises. Almost half of those surveyed admit to being regularly late for work because of traffic.

The research comes as manufacturers increasingly trumpet the benefits of start-stop engine technology, which cuts out the engine at a standstill, thus reducing fuel consumption and emissions. Kia claims fuel savings of up to 15 percent in city driving with its ISG system, and is one of a few makers with start-stop on the market already, including BMW, MINI, Volvo and Land Rover.

Mark Nichol