The ability to react quickly and accurately to unexpected hazards – from the vehicle ahead suddenly braking, to a pedestrian stepping out onto the street – is one of the most important factors in preventing a serious accident and keeping cars from ending up on the scrap heap.
According to the Highway Code, the average reaction time for drivers is 0.67 seconds, with reaction time referring to the time it takes to notice a hazard and apply the brakes. However, a study by Brake found that it actually takes closer to 1.5 seconds for the average driver to notice a hazard and apply the brakes – more than double the amount of time set out in the Highway Code.
With factors such as age, driving experience, tiredness and substances such as drugs or alcohol all affecting reaction times, we wanted to take a deeper dive into the reflex speeds of drivers on the roads today. Could it be that drivers of certain car brands – from BMW to Fiat drivers – are more alert or better prepared to respond to sudden changes on the road?
To find out, we tasked 2,000 drivers with taking a virtual reaction time test, that revealed the reflex times (and corresponding reaction ages) of drivers in response to an emergency stop simulation.
We used a virtual test for safety reasons and while it cannot replicate actual driving conditions and variables such as tiredness or situational distractions, it does give a good gauge on which drivers are the quickest to react. So, what did our results reveal? Read on to find out…
Volvo drivers are the most responsive drivers
Our study found that Volvo drivers had the quickest reaction times out of all other drivers tested – with an average reaction time of 0.401 seconds – almost 24% quicker than Mercedes drivers, who ranked in last position, with an average reaction time of 0.527 seconds.
Following in second and third place, are Jaguar and Suzuki drivers, with motorists driving these car brands achieving an average reaction time of 0.409 and 0.413 seconds respectively, and an average reaction time age equivalent of 33 years old. Mitsubishi drivers rank in fourth spot with an average reaction time of 0.417 seconds and Lexus drivers round off the top five, with an average reaction time of 0.435 seconds and an average reaction age of 36 years.
Drivers of luxury car brands including Audi, BMW and Porsche also rank in the top ten quickest reaction times, each achieving reaction times of between 0.442 and 0.444 seconds.
Meanwhile, Hyundai, Kia and Mercedes drivers rank at the bottom of the list, as the motorists with the slowest reflexes. Our study found that Hyundai drivers have an average reaction time of 0.481 seconds, equating to the reflex skills of a typical 41-year-old, Kia drivers have an average reaction time just shy of 0.5 seconds (0.496), while Mercedes drivers are the slowest to react to hazards on the roads, with an average reaction time of more than half a second, at 0.527 seconds. Despite being the slowest of all other car brand drivers, Mercedes drivers still reacted quicker than the average reaction time of drivers according to the Highway Code (0.67 seconds), demonstrating that driver reflexes remain sharp across the board.
| Rank | Car brand | Average reaction time (in seconds) | Average reaction age (in years) |
| 1 | Volvo | 0.401 | 32 |
| 2 | Jaguar | 0.409 | 33 |
| 3 | Suzuki | 0.413 | 33 |
| 4 | Mitsubishi | 0.417 | 34 |
| 5 | Lexus | 0.435 | 36 |
| 6 | Renault | 0.438 | 36 |
| 7 | Audi | 0.442 | 36 |
| 8 | BMW | 0.443 | 37 |
| 9 | Porsche | 0.444 | 37 |
| 10 | Fiat | 0.446 | 37 |
| 11 | Skoda | 0.451 | 37 |
| 12 | Land Rover | 0.453 | 38 |
| 13 | Seat | 0.458 | 38 |
| 14 | Honda | 0.459 | 38 |
| 15 | Vauxhall | 0.460 | 38 |
| 16 | Nissan | 0.460 | 38 |
| 17 | Volkswagen | 0.462 | 39 |
| 18 | Ford | 0.463 | 39 |
| 19 | Toyota | 0.464 | 39 |
| 20 | Mazda | 0.469 | 39 |
| 21 | Citroen | 0.471 | 40 |
| 22 | Tesla | 0.473 | 40 |
| 23 | Peugeot | 0.474 | 40 |
| 24 | MINI | 0.475 | 40 |
| 25 | Hyundai | 0.481 | 41 |
| 26 | Kia | 0.496 | 42 |
| 27 | Mercedes | 0.527 | 45 |
Driver reaction ages vs. actual age of drivers tested
Each participant that took part in our study also received a reaction time age, which reflected how quickly (or slowly) they responded to the imaginary hazard in the test. However, we also recorded the average age of drivers taking part in our experiment, to reveal the drivers which have the biggest disparity between the two.
In first place are Volvo drivers, who not only have the quickest reaction times overall when compared to drivers of other car brands, but also have the biggest ‘age gap’ (of 13 years) between the reaction age and actual age of drivers. Volvo drivers scored an average reaction time of 0.401 seconds – the equivalent to the reaction skills of a 32-year-old, despite the average actual age of Volvo drivers in the study being 45. This highlights just how lightning fast the reflexes of some Volvo drivers can be!
In second and third spots are Jaguar and Land Rover drivers who have a decade’s (ten and nine years, respectively) gap between their recorded average reaction ages and actual driver ages, according to our study. Following closely behind, also with a gap of nine years between reaction ages and actual ages, as well as quicker than average reaction skills, are Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Skoda and Nissan drivers.
At the other end of the scale, Kia drivers are the most likely to ‘drive their age’, with both the average reaction age and actual average age of Kia owners being 42 years old. MINI and Mercedes drivers exhibit reflex times which are older than their actual ages – with MINI drivers’ average reaction age being one year older than the actual age of motorists, while in last place, Mercedes drivers are four years older, with an average reaction age of 45 years old.
| Rank | Car brand | Average reaction age (in years) | Average actual age (in years) | Age difference (in years) |
| 1 | Volvo | 32 | 45 | -13 |
| 2 | Jaguar | 33 | 43 | -10 |
| 3 | Land Rover | 38 | 47 | -9 |
| 4 | Suzuki | 33 | 42 | -9 |
| 5 | Mitsubishi | 34 | 43 | -9 |
| 6 | Skoda | 37 | 46 | -9 |
| 7 | Nissan | 38 | 47 | -9 |
| 8 | Renault | 36 | 43 | -7 |
| 9 | Citroen | 40 | 46 | -6 |
| 10 | Lexus | 36 | 42 | -6 |
| 11 | Audi | 36 | 42 | -6 |
| 12 | Vauxhall | 38 | 44 | -6 |
| 13 | Mazda | 39 | 44 | -5 |
| 14 | BMW | 37 | 42 | -5 |
| 15 | Volkswagen | 39 | 44 | -5 |
| 16 | Ford | 39 | 43 | -4 |
| 17 | Hyundai | 41 | 44 | -3 |
| 18 | Seat | 38 | 41 | -3 |
| 19 | Peugeot | 40 | 43 | -3 |
| 20 | Fiat | 37 | 40 | -3 |
| 21 | Porsche | 37 | 39 | -2 |
| 22 | Toyota | 39 | 41 | -2 |
| 23 | Tesla | 40 | 41 | -1 |
| 24 | Honda | 38 | 39 | -1 |
| 25 | Kia | 42 | 42 | 0 |
| 26 | MINI | 40 | 39 | 1 |
| 27 | Mercedes | 45 | 41 | 4 |
Automatic drivers have slightly slower reaction times
More and more drivers around the world are switching to driving automatic vehicles, with there being a 269% increase in the number of drivers booking an automatic-only driving test in the past decade. As well as looking at the variation between different car brands, we also wanted to see if there was any marked difference in reaction times between automatic and manual gearbox drivers.
The act of driving a manual vehicle generally requires more engagement and attention, with those driving a car with a manual gearbox needing to focus on the road much more carefully, in order to anticipate when to change gears. So, does the simplified control of an automatic vehicle dull the driver’s muscle memory and reflexes? Our research suggests this might be the case, with automatic drivers being a year ‘older’ when it comes to reaction times, reacting on average almost 10 milliseconds slower than manual drivers.
However, with research suggesting that the last person to take their driving test in a manual gearbox car will be born in 2027 – just three years away – it’s vital that automatic drivers are practising their driver reflexes, in order to stay safe on the roads.
| What is the transmission type of your vehicle? | Average reaction time (in seconds) | Actual average age of driver (in years) | Average reaction age (in years) |
| Manual | 0.459 | 44 | 38 |
| Automatic | 0.468 | 42 | 39 |
Electric and hybrid drivers are quicker to react than petrol or diesel drivers
Finally, we also reviewed the various fuel types people drive in 2024, and whether there is any discernible difference between whether you’re an EV or diesel driver, and how quickly you can react.
Interestingly, it’s electric and hybrid drivers which have the quickest reflexes. Electric car drivers had an average reaction time of 0.459 seconds and an actual average age of 42 years, while hybrid drivers had a slightly older actual age of 44 years – five years older than the average reaction time age for those with a hybrid vehicle. With all electric cars being automatic, this appears to contradict our findings on reaction differences when it comes to transmission type, however it seems that those driving an automatic petrol or diesel car are bringing the automatic side down!
Overall, however, there are only five milliseconds between the average reaction times of drivers across electric, hybrid, petrol and diesel drivers, suggesting that the transmission of a vehicle does not significantly correlate with better (or worse) reaction times on the road.
| What fuel type does your car use? | Average reaction time (in seconds) | Actual average age of driver (in years) | Average reaction age (in years) |
| Electric | 0.459 | 42 | 38 |
| Hybrid | 0.462 | 44 | 39 |
| Petrol | 0.463 | 42 | 39 |
| Diesel | 0.464 | 45 | 39 |
What factors can affect drivers’ reaction times?
While our study can go some way in predicting how the type of car someone drives could reflect their reaction times, there are several other physiological, psychological and environmental factors which can affect a driver’s responses.
As explored in our study, age can have a significant effect on a driver’s reaction times, with slower reflexes and reduced processing speed due to age-related changes in the nervous system. It’s for this reason that drivers are expected to renew their driving licence every three years once they hit the age of 70 years old and flag any health changes to the DVLA.
Physical health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or impairments to a driver’s eyesight or hearing can also significantly affect the rate at which drivers can respond to potential hazards on the road. Drivers could be fined up to £1,000 if they do not inform the DVLA about a medical condition which could affect their driving.
Other factors such as tiredness (from lack of sleep or prolonged driving) can severely slow reaction times, and potential distractions such as mobile devices or in-car activities should also be minimised, so that the driver can fully focus on the road ahead and be in the optimum state to react to hazards.
Why are reaction times so important for drivers?
So why is it so important to ensure that you are reacting quickly on the road? Being alert as a driver is crucial because your response time to hazards can contribute to the time and distance it takes for your vehicle to slow down and reach a complete stop – also known as ‘stopping distance’.
A vehicle’s stopping distance is impacted by other variables such as speed, tyre tread depth, road surface and weather conditions, however a couple of milliseconds in reaction time can make all the difference between a safe stopping distance and a potential collision.
For example, a reaction time of 0.4 seconds while driving at 50 miles per hour will result in a stopping distance of approximately 30 feet, however this distance rises to more than 60 feet with a slightly higher reaction time of 0.9 seconds.
If the delayed reaction times of you or another driver on the road have resulted in you needing to scrap your car, you can find out more about our process with our FAQs here.
Methodology
We tested 2,000 UK motorists (via Prolific) on a reaction times test. Participants were asked to record their average reaction time (in milliseconds) and average reaction age, as well as providing their actual age and other demographic information such as the car brand, vehicle transmission and fuel type they drive. Data was collated and analysed to reveal the drivers with the quickest and slowest reaction times.
Data referring to the impact of reaction times on stopping distance gained via How a Car Works. All data correct as of August 2024.
