Half of us lie every day to excuse ourselves - with 'the traffic was bad' being used the most, a new study reveals.Pretending their alarm didn’t go off in the morning is the second most popular excuse Brits use to explain their lateness.And we even go so far as to say we got lost, while blaming public transport - including the punctuality of trains - is the fourth most popular excuse.A psychologist today revealed the secret to making a totally believable excuse - which must be personal, contain regret and be delivered by someone who believes it.The new research highlights how three quarters (75 per cent) of us regularly tell lies in an attempt to get out of a predicament.Meanwhile 48 per cent of us admit making up an excuse on a daily basis.Half of Brits (48 per cent) say being late for work is the most common reason for needing an excuse.More than one in five (22 per cent) have lied about why they were late meeting a friend for a meal, the study by restaurant chain Beefeater found.The study of 2,000 Brits also found where in the country we tell the most lies to get out of a sticky situation.People in the North West use the most excuses, with half (45 per cent) making something up on a daily basis.Those living in East Anglia are the most honest, with a third (30 per cent) claiming they never make up excuses.And it appears we mainly tell fibs to make people feel better and not hurt to others.More than three quarters (78 per cent) claim they only use excuses to prevent hurting someone’s feelings.More than a third (38 per cent) even say they do so to make someone feel good about themself.James Edwards, an office worker from Winchester, Hants, admits he will tell a 'little white lie' to get out of trouble.The 25-year-old said: 'If I’m running late for work I try to tell a little white lie to avoid getting shouted at.'If I’ve overslept, or spent too much time getting ready, I will most probably blame the traffic or say I had a family emergency, like my girlfriend was ill.'Psychologist Dr Aric Sigman, who worked with Beefeater, said: 'The polite excuse is quintessentially British; it allows us to negotiate one another’s feelings without hurting them.'Excuse-making all too often has negative connotations, but this is not always the case as the results of Beefeater’s Any Excuse survey shows us.'At times, using an excuse can be for a very good reason and have a positive effect on yourself and others.'Psychologist Dr Aric Sigman worked with Beefeater to look into the logic behind excuse-making and has compiled the formula for the perfect excuse.He added: 'The perfect excuse delivery is part art and part logic - the content and wording is important as the execution.'Some of the key ingredients for the perfect excuse are as follows, according Dr. Sigman are:Authenticity: The excuse must sound realistic and genuine, something we can all empathise with and accept that it could happen to anyone.Personal: To keep it believable, include details in the excuse that are personal to your life circumstances as opposed to giving a generic off-the-shelf excuse.Sensitivity: Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and think about what you would find acceptable. This way, you can ensure the excuse is sensitive to their feelings and will not make them upset or angry.Regret: Add a hint of your own disappointment at not being able to fulfill your obligations, showing a sense of remorse.Delivery: Before giving an excuse, you must first convince yourself that it is true and acceptable, delivering it in a way that doesn’t come across sheepishly.(dailymail.co.uk)ANN.Az