The car is the most common location for one in ten lovers’ tiffs. Getting lost is most common cause of couples’ in-car arguments.

While many people are planning to whisk their Valentine away on a long drive this Sunday, this romantic gesture could end up leading to a lovers’ tiff rather than a cupid’s strike.

Two thirds (65 per cent) of couples regularly argue with their partner during long car trips*, reveals research by Direct Line, with one in ten bickering couples admitting that their car is the scene of the majority of their squabbles**.

It seems that Britons blame their partner’s driving and navigational skills for the majority of these lovers’ tiffs, with 55 per cent of couples saying the most common cause of their in-car arguments is due to getting lost. A further third (32 per cent) argue over whether the driver is going too fast or driving too recklessly.

Differences in personal taste are also at the root of many squabbles, with one in five (20 per cent) couples arguing over the choice of radio station or which CD is being played on the car stereo.

However, bigger relationship issues are also aired during long car journeys, with one in ten (10 per cent) saying that disagreements over money are the main cause of their in-car arguments.

Scottish couples are the most tempestuous in the car, with nearly three quarters (73 per cent) admitting they have disagreements with their ‘other half’ while on the road, compared with an average 65 per cent of couples.

Top ten causes of couples giving each other the cold shoulder while on the hard shoulder:

1. Getting lost (55 per cent)

2. Driving too fast or dangerously (32 per cent)

3. The choice of music or radio station (20 per cent)

4. Forgetting to pack certain items (18 per cent)

5. Having to stop for a toilet break (14 per cent)

6. The children’s behaviour (12 per cent)

7. Having to stop for something to eat (11 per cent)

8. Money (10 per cent)

9. Refusing to share the driving duties (6 per cent)

10. Long-standing relationship issues (5 per cent)

Jennifer Thomas, spokesperson for Direct Line, commented: "A romantic drive might be a Valentine’s Day hit in the movies, but in reality arguments often flare up between couples in the enclosed space of a car. It’s healthy to discuss disagreements in a relationship, but motorists should make sure a lovers’ tiff doesn’t distract them from concentrating on the road."