New research has established the rules of riding 'shotgun' in a car - and found the spouse of the driver should not automatically get the front seat.
The phrase ‘riding shotgun’ stems from the American Wild West, when stagecoaches had an armed guard up front to fend off bandits.
In modern times, it means calling dibs on the front seat.
And with 31 per cent of adults still calling shotgun to bag the front passenger seat, a study of 2,000 adults has now revealed the official rules that should be followed.
Before the game even starts, it found anyone with physical needs overrides all other claims (22 per cent) - but aside from this, it's simply a case of the first person to call ‘shotgun’ gets the front seat (17 per cent).
However, once you have bagged the front seat, your claim only lasts for one leg of the journey (11 per cent).
And nine per cent believe you must be in view of the car to win.
In the event of a stalemate, 12 per cent said tie breaks are sorted by the driver, and one in 20 (five per cent) select the winner by a quiz question.
The study was commissioned by Tempcover, which has revealed the Official Rules of Shotgun [https://www.tempcover.com/front-cover/official-rules-of-shotgun-revealed] and partnered with JLS star JB Gill ahead of the band's reunion tour, which will see him embarking on road trip adventures across the UK.
JB, who is encouraging Brits to use the official shotgun rules to avoid any potential car squabbles, said: “Calling shotgun before a car journey has sparked friendly competition over who gets to ride in the highly prized front seat for generations.
"Ever since I first started driving, the front seat was always the one that every passenger wanted and as you can imagine, it’s led to MANY heated debates.
"Every driver has their own shotgun rules so having official rules in place means there’s now a neutral way to make the decision and (hopefully) help the journey start smoothly from the off”.
It also emerged that the middle seat in the back is the least preferred spot in the car.
While the person who does get the front passenger seat should be prepared to make some sacrifices – by being on hand to act as navigator, and DJ – but should only play songs the whole car will enjoy.
The light-hearted game often leads to disputes though, with 26 per cent admitting they have had an argument over the coveted position.
With siblings (49 per cent) the most common opposition when it comes to bagging the front seat – however, 30 per cent have even had disputes with their children.
Following the tension, 42 per cent admitted they have even refused to get in the car.
The research, carried out via OnePoll.com, found 30 per cent have resorted to fabricating excuses to sit in the front – with the most common being to help the driver navigate.
However, 28 per cent have used travel sickness as a ploy to get out of the back.
Although for many, the rules of shotgun will be more applicable than ever, as 39 per cent prepare to embark on a summer road trip, and 36 per cent will be travelling with more than four people.
Due to extra luggage and equipment, 17 per cent will be borrowing a bigger car for their summer activities.
Marc Pell, managing director at Tempcover, which offers temporary car insurance so people can borrow a bigger car and take turns behind the wheel, added: “With summer here, more people are taking to the road with friends and family.
“We asked people to share their ultimate shotgun wisdom to keep the rules simple and the process fair - helping car journeys start with fewer disputes over who gets the coveted front passenger seat with its better view and extra legroom.
“And if you share the driving, you can all take it in turns to ride shotgun too.”
TOP 10 RULES OF SHOTGUN:
1. Anyone with a physical need overrules ‘shotgun’
2. The driver has final say and can overrule ‘shotgun’
3. The first person to call ‘shotgun’ gets the front seat
4. If two people call it at the same time, it’s up to the driver to decide
5. ‘Shotgun’ only lasts for one leg of the journey. It starts again for the return trip
6. ‘Shotgun’ is final – once called you can’t recall it
7. The ‘shotgun’ winner must be ready to leave at the driver’s preferred time, otherwise ‘shotgun’ rights are withdrawn
8. You must be able to see the car to call ‘shotgun’
9. ‘Shotgun’ resets once people get out of the car
10. Calling ‘shotgun’ more than a certain time before a journey makes it invalid
