‘Taxi-dents’ of Christmas: Brits reveal the shocking things they have done in taxis this festive party season
A new Go.Compare study has uncovered the trouble Brits get up to in taxis at this time of year, and the results read like the script of a chaotic Christmas comedy.
From falling asleep mid-conversation to impromptu backseat karaoke, late-night takeaways exploding across seats, and passengers leaping out before the car has stopped, the nation has some taxi stories to tell.
Based on national projections, Go.Compare estimates that across the UK:*
- More than nine million people have nodded off in the back of a taxi (16%)
- Almost four million have turned the journey home into a full-scale karaoke session (7%)
- Over three million have argued with a driver (6%)
- Millions more have stuck their head out of a window (6%), spilt food or drink (5%), jumped out too early (5%) or left rubbish and mess behind (4%)
- And yes, more than two million Brits admit they have been sick in a taxi at some point. Merry Christmas to taxi drivers everywhere…
While turning the journey into a sing-along is a key staple of a night out for many Brits, not all ‘taxi-dents’ are as harmless. Sticking your head out of the window and exiting a taxi before it stops likely means you are breaking the highway code, as you’ll be travelling without a seatbelt on, which is not only a clear safety risk but could land you or your taxi driver with a big fine. And leaving without paying your driver is a criminal offence, so if you haven’t paid in advance, remember to settle your fare before you head home to eat your chips!
Besides being a passenger from hell, there’s a lot else that can go wrong in taxis this festive season: with phones being dropped, bags left behind, takeaways leaking in handbags and spills happening mid-ride, Christmas is the time of year when people lose and damage belongings the most. A quick check of your contents insurance can help cover valuables if they are lost or damaged during a night out.
Nathan Blackler, expert at Go.Compare home insurance, said: “Christmas taxi rides are a highlight of many nights out, but they can also be chaotic. Keep an eye on your belongings, keep some cash aside to pay your fare, plan your route home and make sure someone knows where you are heading. December is expensive enough without having to replace a lost phone or bag, so it is worth checking you have personal belongings cover in place.
“And while a taxi on a Saturday night in December might be expensive, you should never drink and drive. Booking a taxi in advance is a great way to make sure you’ve got that lift home sorted and could also help you leave before you jump on the karaoke.”
For more information about home insurance and covering personal possessions, please visit: https://www.gocompare.com/home-insurance/guide/personal-possessions-insurance/.
Regional breakdown
Further analysis from Go.Compare shows clear trends developing across the regions:
Greater London
Those in Greater London take the title for a lot of taxi faux pas. They take the top spot for the sleepiest taxi-goers (27%), the most likely passengers to stick their head out the window or sun roof (11%), exiting a taxi while it’s still moving (9%), changing the radio without permission (9%), leaving behind rubbish or mess (8%) and admit to being thrown out (6%)!
North West
The festive throw-up zone – 6% of passengers admit they have been sick in a taxi. Cabbies here know to keep wipes, mints and a strong stomach at the ready during December. They also take second spot when it comes to drinking alcohol in the taxi (9%), for leaving behind rubbish/mess (6%), and changing the radio without permission (4%).
Scotland
Taxi passengers in Scotland take the top spot for singing along loudly to the radio (10%), picking an argument with their taxi driver (10%) and drinking in the taxi (12%).
Wales
The serial snoozers. 18% of Welsh passengers say they have fallen asleep in a taxi, the third highest rate in the UK, and they also take second place for admitting to spilling drinks or food (9%) and exiting a taxi before it had stopped (5%).
East Midlands
The forgetful festive elves. 10% of those surveyed in the East Midlands said they had left a taxi without paying the driver, while they also took second spot for sticking their head out the window/sunroof (9%) and throwing up in the taxi (5%).
Contact Information
Rosie Johns
Notes to editors
*The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2,002 nationally representative respondents. The data was collected between 22.09.2025 – 24.09.2025. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
Figures for “millions of Brits” are based on the nationally representative sample. Percentages from the survey have been applied to the UK 16+ population of 56,685,313 according to 2024 ONS figures, to produce projected numbers.
16.38% of respondents say they have fallen asleep in a taxi, which equates to 9,285,054 UK consumers.
6.99% of respondents say they have loudly sung along to the radio in a taxi, which equates to 3,962,303 UK consumers.
6.49% of respondents say they have argued with the taxi driver, which equates to 3,678,877 UK consumers.
5.79% of respondents say they have stuck their head out of the window/sunroof, which equates to 3,282,080 UK consumers.
5.49% respondents say they have spilled food/drink inside the taxi, which equates to 3,112,024 UK consumers.
4.5% respondents say they have exited the taxi before it is fully stationary, which equates to 2,550,839 UK consumers.
3.8% respondents say they have left rubbish / mess in the taxi, which equates to 2,154,042
4.45% respondents say they have thrown up in the taxi, which equates to 2,522,496 UK consumers.
For further information please contact:
Front Door Communications at knock.knock@fdcomms.co.uk
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