Crash, bang wallop!
The number of motorists who admit to taking calls and sending text messages while on the road has tripled in a year, rising from 8 percent to 28 percent, according to the 2010 RAC Report on Motoring.
Perhaps the most shocking finding from the report is the fact that almost half of drivers do not think taking a call or texting while driving diverts their attention from the road. Yet department of Transport figures show that 509 people were hurt in accidents caused by drivers who were distracted by their mobile in 2009 and experts believe this number could easily rise as smartphones offer even more distractions.
Almost 40 percent of drivers admitted being distracted by calls, texts and social media apps on their mobiles while they were driving.
The report also found that during an average car journey of 23 minutes, a driver's phone rings or beeps at least once, which can prove more than a little tempting, so much so that just over half of motorists said they are likely to take their eyes of the road to see who a call is from.
Another 45 percent admitted they would look to see who a text is from and surprise, surprise, young drivers between the age of 17 and 24 are the worst culprits and most likely to give in to temptation and check their phone if it beeps.
The rise in popularity of social networking and increasing uptake of smartphones has also contributed to the rise in mobile activity while driving, with one in five motorists checking a social media alert from the likes of Facebook or Twitter while driving.
Interestingly, the top 5 social media sites and apps that drivers fessed up to checking while either stationary, running their engine or driving were:
- Email - 11%
- Google Maps - 9%
- Music - 9%
- Photos - 8%
- Facebook - 7%
The research found that over a quarter of people said it was ok to use mobiles while a car is stationary at traffic lights, while a third said calling, texting or checking updates in a lay-by is fine and almost one in ten think messing about on a mobile when stuck in a traffic jam is no problem either.
Adrian Tink, RAC Motoring Strategist believes the fact people are admitting to using their phone for a load of social networking apps while driving is really worrying.
"Taking your eye off the road, just for a second, to read an alert or check who a call came from can have potentially fatal results. This steep rise in mobile phone usage at the wheel could potentially be set to continue as more and more people embrace smart phone technology. Many people do not realise it is an offence to use a mobile phone while a vehicle is stationary in a lay-by, traffic jam, traffic lights or at the side of the road, with the engine running," he added.
The RAC is calling for the police to better enforce laws around mobile usage in the car and the government to run more awareness campaigns about the dangers of driving and calling.
