This is why we call the passenger seat â€˜shotgunâ€™ but the phrase probably isnâ€™t as old as you think

Give it your best shot

It's the unwritten rule that can't be broken but why does shouting 'Shotgun' secure us the best seat in the car?

THEY'RE the words everyone wants to hear: "Do you want a lift?"

That generous friend who's going your way anyway and agrees to drop you home. God bless that guy.

Getty Images

The race for that front seat is real… someone should have told this family all they need to do is call shotgun

But as you walk towards the car and realise you're not the only one jumping in, there's the inevitable race to the front seat.

In your panic to secure prime position you shout: "Shotgun!"

Nailed it. You are victorious. Despite the disgruntled looks of the other passengers, you will now be riding up front and you may even get to pick the radio station.

Getty Images

The prized throne which is within reach for all us, thanks to the 'shotgun' rule

But why do we 'call shotgun' when you're about to get into a car? Where has this bizarre tradition come from?

It is thought to have originated from our Stateside cousins, back in 1880s when stagecoaches were commonplace.

The driver would often assign the front seat to a gun-toting passenger who could be poised and ready to ward off any highwaymen they met on their travels.

These passengers would often carry shotguns which they could use to take down assailants – hence the name.

This is correct but only partially. There are actually no records of anyone using the term in the Old West and it wasn't until the media became fascinated by the old Western tales that the phrase became commonplace.

Western films and television shows would feature gun-wielding comrades riding 'shotgun'.

The earliest known mention was in 1921 short story The Fighting Fool by Dane Coolidge.

In the story the character is describe as "ridin' shotgun for Wells Fargo."

It's likely that these media references are what really launched the phrase into the public sphere, but whether it is originally coined in the Old West or just our interpretation of those times… that's a matter for the historians out there to debate.

If you're fascinated by the intricacies of human behaviour, you can read about why we make New Years' Resolutions ^[1] here.

Girl lets rip in passenger seat