Brits believe the white van is more British than the Royal Family

Most Brits (56 per cent) agree that white vans are an iconic symbol of Britain. A quarter (26 per cent) of people say they are more British than builder’s tea or breakfast fry-ups (24 per cent). White vans are even seen as a more iconic sign of Britishness than Sunday roasts (24 per cent), black cabs (20 per cent), complaining about the weather (20 per cent) and queuing (19 per cent).

Unsurprisingly, white remains the colour of choice for vans, with 58 per cent of all new Light Goods Vehicles registered last year being white. There were almost three times as many white vans registered compared to the next closest colour, grey (181,243 white vs 60,831 grey). White vans power the UK economy according to 42 per cent of people.

Once dubbed as selfish, inconsiderate, and aggressive, nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of white van drivers feel that the stereotypes around white van drivers are outdated and inaccurate. Almost three-quarters (72 per cent) claim that they are considerate drivers who respect the rules of the road. When it comes to tucking into takeaways and having dirty vans a similar proportion (73 per cent) say that they try to lead a healthy lifestyle and 69 per cent keep their vans clean and tidy.

Attitudes of the general public are changing, with those under the age of 45 more likely to view white van drivers as hard working rather than inconsiderate drivers. The view that white van drivers are inconsiderate drivers is more widely held by those over the age of 45.

Eva Sandstra-Bennett, Van Product Manager at Direct Line business insurance commented: “White vans and their drivers are a British icon and backbone of the nation, travelling an estimated 57 billion vehicle miles a year to repair our homes, fix utilities and deliver our orders. It’s refreshing to see that people appreciate the hard work of white vans and their drivers and that old stereotypes are starting to wane.”