Back

Children made to sit in the middle seat on car journeys 'grow up to be successful', says survey.

As we all head off on our Easter car trips, it's worth remembering this...

By Frances Sheen

April 08 2019

Children who get stuck sitting in the middle seat of the car on long journeys with their family climb the career ladder faster and with more success than their siblings!

The dreaded middle seat is the least favourite for kids of families with three or more kids. They have less leg room, no window and elbows either side!

But a survey from Skoda Octavia, the car manufacturer, say that this experience from an early age, gives them the drive and determination to do well in business when they grow up!

The study asked 1,000 adults with two or more siblings where they had sat in the car as children. The survey found that 90 per cent of those at director level had sat in the middle back seat as youngsters.

So too did almost three out of four adults who now run their own businesses and 62 per cent of those who would describe their jobs as "senior management".

A whopping 80 per cent of those asked were convinced that having to suffer through the discomfort of sitting in the middle seat in the car was linked to their later success in their career and their business, according to the study.

Laverne Antrobus, a consultant child psychologist, agreed saying, "Cars are a unique environment and a lot can be revealed when everyone is sitting together in a confined space.

"It's fascinating to see how a seating position in the back of the car, often over many years, can directly reflect or influence our personalities.

"Whether middle seat children were made to sit there or not they seem to develop positive traits which prove to be of real value to them as adults, and often, interestingly, in their careers."

Almost half of the adults who did the long drives in the middle seat thought of themselves as easy going, one in four as patient and 21 per cent as adaptable.

While 43 per cent of middle seat children remembered arguing about their position in the car, 66 per cent said that looking back, they actually enjoyed it!

Alasdair Stewart, head of brand at Skoda UK, added: ""It's been fascinating to see how in-car dynamics such as seating positions can impact on us as people."

WERE YOU A MIDDLE-SEATER?