Dublin ranked as second-most stressful city in Europe to drive around

Dublin ranked as Europe‘s second most stressful city to drive in, with drivers in Ireland’s capital getting stressed out by slow-moving single lanes.

New research published by DiscoverCars.com found where Europe’s most stressed drivers are, measuring drivers’ heart rates in seven different cities across the continent with the help of practising medical doctor Dr Adedeji Saheed.

Researchers created an average of each driver’s lowest driving and resting heart rate, and highest driving and resting heart rate, then subtracted the average low rate from the average high rate to provide a number used as a ‘Stress Rating’ – with Dublin ranking in at number two.

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Vienna, Austria ranked as the joint most stressful city to drive in, with a Stress Rating of 25.5. The driver’s heart rate reached 130 bpm while they were driving, which according to Dr Saheed would be in the normal range, but is on the higher side.

Drivers in Vienna might be stressed out by the narrowness of some of the streets, as well as the city’s iconic red trams, which have priority and right of way.

Zagreb, Croatia has a Stress Rating of 25.5, just like Vienna, and the city ranks in joint first place. This driver’s fastest heart rate while driving, 115 bpm, is significantly higher than their lowest resting heart rate, which was 75 bpm – but their heart rate at rest did reach 94 bpm, which is at the upper end of the normal range.

According to drivers, Zagreb’s roads can get very congested at rush hour, especially main roads like Zagrebačka Avenue.

As the second most stressful city for drivers, Dublin, Ireland has a Stress Rating of 9.5 – already quite a lot lower than the two cities in joint first place.

This driver’s heart rate while driving reached 130 bpm, but their resting heart rate also went as high as 126 bpm, which is higher than the normal range according to Dr Saheed. While a high resting heart rate can be influenced by caffeine intake, it can also be the result of health conditions. Drivers in Dublin have suggested major sources of stress include slow-moving traffic on single-lane roads.

Next is Copenhagen, Denmark with a Stress Rating of 7.5. This driver’s heart rate stayed in the normal range – their driving heart rate went up to 85 bpm, lower than many other individuals, but their resting heart rate went as low as 60 bpm.

In Copenhagen, parking can be hard to find in the city centre as well as expensive which could influence how stressful it is to navigate by car.

With a Stress Rating of 5.5, Reykjavik, Iceland is the third least stressful city to drive in. All of these drivers’ heart rate readings were on the low side, and their heart rate didn’t significantly increase while driving. Driving in Reykjavik is supposed to be much easier than driving in the Icelandic countryside, where you will find many more unpaved gravel roads.

Stockholm, Sweden has a Stress Rating of only 3.5. The driver’s heart rate did reach 120 bpm, which is higher than some of the other readings, but according to Dr Saheed it’s in the normal range for someone doing a physical task like driving.

Sweden has a reputation for having well-maintained roads that are quieter than those in many other countries – however, when the Stockholm bypass opens, allowing some traffic to be diverted underground, driving here should be even easier. The bypass is estimated to launch in 2030.

Finally, the least stressful city to drive in is Tallinn, Estonia where the Stress Rating came out as -1! As well as their comparatively slow highest heart rate while driving of 87 bpm, this driver also had a slightly higher resting heart rate, which reached 95 bpm.

There are a few reasons why Tallinn may have emerged with this score. Estonia is not a very densely populated country, meaning fewer cars on the roads, and it has strict traffic laws such as requiring the use of headlights at all times day and night.

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