'White van man' stereotype isn't dead as three-quarters of van drivers report negative attitudes from other motorists
Wed, 17 Sept 2025
More than three-quarters (78%) of van drivers have said they experience negative behaviour from other road users simply because they drive a van.
A study of 1000 van drivers by Peugeot showed that more than half – 53% – of drivers who use a van have been cut up on the road, with other common forms of abuse including being verbally sworn at (51%) and tailgating (41%). Over a quarter (26%) reported that they have been threatened with physical violence.
Outdated attitudes to van drivers are said to be the cause, with the majority (79%) of those surveyed saying such behaviour is down to to outdated ‘white van man’ stereotypes and how they are perceived by other motorists, with 73% saying they feel misunderstood by the general public, though this rises to 78% among electric van drivers.
According to the survey, the most common stereotypes faced by van drivers are aggressive behaviour (46%), poor driving (43%) and having dirty or untidy vehicles (35%).
