Revealed: Tallinn is the least stressful European city to drive in

DiscoverCars.com has conducted new research into which cities cause drivers the most stress, asking drivers in a group of cities around Europe to track their heart rates on a 30 minute drive. 

They created a ‘Stress Rating’ by taking away each driver’s lowest heart rate from their highest heart rate, to measure the difference and the amount their heart rate spiked by at different points in the journey. 

DiscoverCars.com also spoke to Dr Adedeji Saheed, a practicing medical doctor specializing in internal medicine, with over three years of clinical practice. He provided an insight into typical heart rates.

Tallinn, Estonia was the least stressful city to drive in, with a Stress Rating of minus 1! Their resting heart rate was almost exactly the same as their driving heart rate, even exceeding it by 1 beat per minute. This driver’s heart rate, whether at rest or while they were driving, stayed below 100 bpm at all times. 

Tallinn’s roads are well maintained, and quite a lot of the city’s Old Town is totally pedestrianized, meaning that drivers here aren’t trying to squeeze down this area’s narrow streets. Another reason why it is less stressful to drive here could be that the Estonian capital is less densely populated than many other European capital cities. 

DiscoverCars.com also provided a recommendation for a relaxing drive out of each city. Estonia’s largest national park, Laheema National Park, is only about 40 minutes from Tallinn. It’s full of beautiful landscapes from wetlands and forests to beaches. It’s also home to many species of wildlife, including beavers that you can track on a 1km ‘beaver trail’, looking out for their dams along the riverside. 

If you require any further quotes, images or information, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

The full research is available online. 

Share this article: