Our relatives from abroad always say “we can’t drive here in the Philippines” or “we’ll never drive in EDSA!”
They will also say that driving is better where they came from (mostly those who came from the USA).
Admittedly, driving is not a joke. More so, driving in the Philippines can truly be intimidating. It’s a no-brainer. Driving here, especially in EDSA, will take a lot of patience. From rude and careless drivers as well as the everyday horrendous traffic. There are also roads here on the side streets that look like it cannot fit even a tiny vehicle but you’ll be surprise to find out that your SUV can pull it off.
But did you know that from a Shell Driving Experiment, a groundbreaking worldwide study that uses cutting-edge emotion tracking technology, ChatBots, mobile apps, and weather and traffic information to uncover how the emotions of drivers affect their driving performance, the Philippines achieved the highest driving score performance among all the countries that participated in the global study. This means that Filipinos have smoother journeys (less incidents of harsh acceleration and harsh braking) and are more efficient than other participating countries such as Malaysia, Germany, and Netherlands.
That sounds interesting and surprising at the same time!
The results of the study also showed that contrary to common local stereotype, gender has no significant influence on driving performance, with personality type more likely to predict your driving style. Two high-performing personality types among Filipino drivers were uncovered by the study: the Modern Man and the Gamma Woman. These are the uniquely Filipino personality types that are shaped by both internal and external factors inherent in Philippine driving conditions.
Modern Man
The Modern Man is the type of driver that has a unique combination of sensitive and ambitious personality traits, leading to their ability to maintain a well-balanced emotional state behind the wheel. They adapt well to any situation in life and exercise cautiousness on the road to achieve outstanding driver performance scores.
Gamma Woman
The Gamma Woman on the other hand is known for her openness and emotional stability both on and off the road, leading to exceptional driving performance scores.
Other Factors That Come Into Play
Family has always played a big part in the lives of Filipinos, and this was apparent in the Shell Driving Experiment. Evidence linking the presence of children and additional passengers in the car to better driving performance was consistent throughout the study.
The Shell Driving Experiment also confirmed that stress is a constant emotion felt by Filipinos on the road. Destination is another factor, with findings showing that drivers who are on their way to work are more stressed than those who are on the road for other purposes.
Hunger drops driving performance and concentration. The experiment showed that feeling hungry or thirsty can impact driving performance, showing that drivers who crave food or hydration don’t perform as well on the road.
Giving Importance To Every Ride
“The Shell Driving Experiment is part of Shell’s effort to understand the changing needs of our customers,” shared Anthony Lawrence Yam, Vice President for retail at Pilipinas Shell. “This helps us create better products and services, such as developing new fuels like Shell V-Power with DYNAFLEX technology and the expansion of our non-fuel offers at Shell Select, which are relevant in improving the driving experience of Filipinos. At the end of the day, our goal is making life’s journeys better for every Filipino on the road.”