Driver distraction increases on the road again

More than eight in 10 UK motorists (84%) admit that they get distracted behind the wheel, rising from 76% in 2018, according to a new road study by telematics company, The Floow.

The Floow’s study of more than 2,000 adults suggests the level of UK driver distraction is getting worse, despite the government’s crackdown on mobile phone use in cars.

What’s distracting them?

Almost three in five of survey respondents (58%) said they took their eyes off the road when attempting to change the radio station – whilst more than half of drivers (51%) admitted to singing along to a song.

Others admitted to drinking (30%), eating (29%), having an argument with a passenger (8%) and even daydreaming (15%), all of which feature as top 10 driver distractions in the survey.

Also, 15% of drivers admit to using their phone while driving – whether this be sending a text, checking social media, taking a call or looking for music.

The forms of distraction that drivers admit to during the typical month

1	Changed the radio station	58%	13	Dealt with children in the back seat	6%
2	Sing-a-long to a song	51%	14	Search music on my phone	5%
3	Drank a soft drink	30%	15	Got dressed (e.g. taking off a jumper)	5%
4	Eating	29%	16	Stroked a pet	4%
5	Made adjustments to a Sat Nav	18%	17	Lit a cigarette	4%
6	Day dreamed	15%	18	Made or received without hands-free	4%
7	Looked at myself in the mirror	13%	19	Played games (i.e. eye spy)	4%
8	Inputted destination/ route details into a built in Sat Nav	12%	20	Typed a text message without hands-free	3%
9	Changed a CD	12%	21	Adjusted hair in the mirror	3%
10	Had an argument with a passenger	8%	22	Counted the lines of the road	2%
11	Check my mobile for text/ social media	7%	23	Applied cosmetics	1%
12	Search and map app on my phone or plug in device	7%	24	Shopped online on my phone	1%

Who’s getting distracted the most?

The Floow’s study also suggested that parents are the most likely to be distracted when driving, and were also the most likely to use their mobile phones.

Overall, 90% of parents admitted to taking their eyes off the road, rising from 85% six months ago. By comparison, 82% of respondents without children admitted to distracted driving (rising from 73% in Aug 2018).

Additionally, 38% of adults with children under the age of 4 conceded to having to deal with their children in the back whilst driving in the last month.

No prizes for guessing what age you get most distracted

Driver distraction also correlates with driver age. The Floow research revealed that younger drivers (aged between 25-34) were those most likely to lose concentration whilst driving (94%).

They were most likely to take their attention off the road due to singing (64%), having a drink (46%) as well as day dreaming (46%). It was also those aged 18-24 who said that they used their mobile phone the most (33%) – more than double than the national average.

New winner for most distracted region

The West Midlands has overtaken the East Midlands as the region where drivers are most likely to admit to distraction behind the wheel (88%).

The West Midlands was the region that saw the biggest rise in driver distraction since August 2018 (up from 69%).

More than four in five drivers in the East, Wales and Scotland (87%) also said that they got distracted when driving their car during the typical month.

Where are people most distracted behind the wheel?

David James, chief operating officer of The Floow commented: “Our research shows the extent to which people are taking their eyes off the road for everyday journeys and it is alarming to see that distraction is on the rise.

“More needs to be done to make drivers more aware of the potential impact of their bad habits. In many cases, small changes can be made that will make them much safer drivers and have a profound impact on road safety in the UK.

“The growing maturity of telematics technology has helped to make roads safer and has enabled insurers to better manage risk by offering a more accurate picture on how each individual actually drives.

“Having your smartphone turned on - but not being handled during a journey – means the handset can be used as a sensor to monitor driver behaviour, which enables us to determine with great accuracy a driving score for each driver.

“Our scores monitor five elements of an individual’s driving behaviour: mobile distraction, fatigue relating to length of journey, smooth driving, speed and the time of day of the journey. By reviewing their scores, drivers can identify how to become safer drivers and, as they improve their scores they may be able to secure lower car insurance premiums.”