NEW research has revealed that 64 per cent of the population belt out their favourite songs whilst behind the wheel, while more than half have been caught singing whilst stuck in traffic or waiting at the lights.

Data from Volkswagen Financial Services UK's insights team has just predicted that drivers are likely to spot fellow motorists singing songs from Adele's new album.

This is because the‘Easy On Me'chart-topper was found to be Britain's top carpool karaoke partner, sharing first place with Ed Sheeran as the celebrity people would most want to duet with.

Other popular choices were Dolly Parton at six per cent Tom Jones and Elton John both at five per cent whilst younger people were found to be more interested in celebrity duets.

The Volkswagen Financial Services UK study has revealed that 83 per cent of 18 to 34 year olds would like to sing with a music icon in the passenger seat, versus just 59 per cent of people aged between 65 and 75 years old.

Nostalgia leads the way on the car radio, with 80s tunes (33 per cent) and 90s music (30 per cent) more popular than any other genre for British drivers, but Indie and Musicals ( both at 11 per cent) finished bottom of the table.

According to the Volkswagen Financial Services UK research, music is used by drivers to help them relax and to stay occupied, with 40 per cent saying it helps them unwind, 36 per cent saying it prevents boredom and 22 per cent suggesting it helps with concentration.

People living in Wales and the South West are most likely to be the stars of their own cars, with 69 per cent of respondents in these regions saying they find themselves singing in the car - more than any other region.

Meanwhile, people in the South East are most likely to be caught singing in their car (59 per cent). However, when it comes to playing nostalgic music, people in the Midlands are Britain's biggest fans of 90s music (36 per cent) and Scottish drivers are most likely to be listening to 80s music (42 per cent).

But people north of the border are least complimentary about their partners' singing abilities, with just 10 per cent of respondents from Scotland believing their other half is the better singer.

Charlotte Cheeseman, head of marketing at Volkswagen Financial Services UK,said:"Our personal vehicles have become more important than ever over the past 18 months but it's wonderful to see that the time we spend in our cars is being used positively, too.

"Britain's love of driving is clearly alive and well and as commuting starts to become more frequent, I'm sure lots of people are looking forward to expressing themselves with more solo singalongs! I think our research highlights that car journeys allow people to escape from everyday life and these insights illustrate the power of having a private space in which to relax on a regular basis."