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05 November 2025
Brits spend an average of almost 12 hours a year (11.6 hours) sitting in their car simply to relax and find some peace, according to new research from Halfords.
The survey found that three-quarters (77%) of car owners have this secret habit. And half (49%) go as far as to admit they have hidden in their car from someone – most commonly neighbours (16%), children (13%) or their partner (13%).
However, it doesn’t always go to plan - nearly a third (30%) confessed they’ve been caught by a partner or family member.
When it comes to what people do during their 'car time,' the most popular activities are simply sitting in peace and quiet (39%), scrolling social media (28%), and eating snacks (26%). With the benefit of privacy, some drivers also use this time for a pep talk (15%), a deep conversation with their pet (4%), or have even written a resignation letter (2%).
More than a quarter of Brits (26%) say they take 'car time' to mentally prepare before heading into their home or workplace.
Parents are the biggest champions of car escapes, with over seven in ten (71%) saying their car is the perfect place to unwind. Four in ten parents (41%) even admit to inventing “quick errands” as an excuse to nap, scroll, or sit in silence in their car.
Interestingly, parents were found to average 14 minutes, compared to just nine minutes for those without children.
And amongst those that admit to hiding in the car – 21 per cent of parents feel guilty about it, compared to 14 per cent of non-parents.
People's favourite "hiding" spots are their work car park (18%), outside their own home, or just around the corner to delay going inside. Some even do it to avoid neighbours (16%), partners (13%), or colleagues (12%).
With this habit being particularly common in winter, Halfords is launching its new 'Car Time' campaign to encourage the nation to embrace the wellbeing benefits of this private time. The retailer has partnered with comedian and actor Ellie Taylor to help spread the message.
Comedian and actor, Ellie Taylor, said: “I honestly thought I was the only one! Like millions of parents, my day is just one long, beautiful, chaotic relay race, and sometimes you just need a moment to quietly take a breath, eat a snack or mentally prepare yourself for the next round of getting someone to put on their shoes. The truth is, for busy parents, self-care isn't always a long hot bath or a meditation retreat—it's that glorious, short window when you pull up outside the house and finally put the car into park. I love that Halfords is giving the nation permission to embrace this secret habit. We’re finally saying goodbye to self-care and hello to self-CAR!”
Paul Ray, Head of Retail Marketing at Halfords, added: “The car has become a vital, yet unspoken, sanctuary for millions of people across the country. We want to encourage drivers to embrace this habit and give themselves permission to take that precious time to unwind. With families more dependent on their car during the winter months, at Halfords we’re here to lighten the winter load—whether it’s making sure your car is road-ready or helping you turn it into a moment of calm.”
To help drivers make their cars a true sanctuary, Halfords has created a limited-edition ‘Car Time Accessory Kit’—a curated selection of comforts designed for the car to help people switch off and recharge. The kit is available online now at Halfords.
-ENDS-
Halfords Car Time Accessory Kits are available to purchase online at Halfords.com discounted from £65.66 to £55.00
Further research:
Top 10 Things Brits Admit to Doing During Car Time
Just sitting quietly in peace and enjoyed the quiet - 39%
Scrolled through social media - 28%
Eating snacks - 26%
Reading the news - 22%
Watching the rain and zoning out - 20%
Pretending to be on the phone - 19%
Avoiding a neighbour or ex you saw walk past - 17%
Reading a book - 15%
Having a self pep talk - 15%
Meditation - 14%
For further information please contact Halfords@goodrelations.co.uk or 0207 932 3693
Notes to Editors
Research carried out by OnePoll between the 29th August and 2nd September 2025, with 2,000 nationally representative UK adults that own/use a car regularly
About Halfords
Halfords is the UK's leading provider of motoring and cycling products and services. Customers shop at 404 Halfords stores, 3 Performance Cycling stores (trading as Tredz and Giant), 604 garages (trading as Halfords Autocentres, McConechy's and National) and have access to more than 200 mobile service vans. Customers can also shop at halfords.com and tredz.co.uk for pick up at their local store or direct home delivery, as well as booking garage services online at halfords.com.