Chatting at wheel ‘worse than using phone'

Telegraph

2 days ago

Talking to passengers and daydreaming behind the wheel are bigger causes of driving mistakes that may lead to an accident than using a mobile phone, a survey suggests.
The RAC, which commissioned the poll, warned that distractions can have 'catastrophic consequences'.
More than three in five (63 per cent) of the 2,691 UK drivers surveyed said they had made mistakes behind the wheel because they were distracted.
Of this group, the most common self-reported causes of distraction were talking to other passengers (43 per cent) and thinking about topics unrelated to driving (37 per cent).
When respondents were asked what they thought were the most distracting things a driver could do, the most common responses were talking on a phone (46 per cent) and applying make-up or shaving (42 per cent).
Among those who admitted to making distraction mistakes, just 8 per cent said talking on the phone was the cause, while 2 per cent of drivers blamed shaving or applying make-up.
Mistakes included missing a junction, exceeding the speed limit, ending up in the wrong lane or nearly crashing into another road user.
Yet almost a quarter (23 per cent) of under-25s said they had been distracted by making phone calls, even though doing so with a handheld device while driving is illegal. More than half (55 per cent) of this age group admitted to breaking the law by doing this.
Public wrong about hazard causes
Overall, the difference between what drivers believe is distracting and what actually caused a mistake to be made suggests that the public may be wrong about the causes of road safety hazards.
Rod Dennis, the RAC road safety spokesman, said: 'Talking to passengers or daydreaming are so common that they aren't perceived by drivers to be big distractions, but our research has revealed they are in fact responsible for most of the errors drivers admit to.
'Although your eyes are on the road, it's easy for your mind to wander behind the wheel, especially on long journeys.
'Distractions can have catastrophic consequences for both drivers themselves and other road users, especially in extreme instances like failing to stop at a junction or at a red light or crossing.
'Driving is still a very mentally demanding task, especially as we need to be able to react to what's in front in a split-second, so it's important we do everything we can to stay alert and minimise distractions.'
Almost one in five (18 per cent) of younger motorists aged 17 to 24 said they had become distracted after eating or drinking while driving.
Similarly, just over one in 10 of the same age group said vaping or smoking behind the wheel had led to them taking their minds off the road.
Interacting with modern touchscreen systems to control functions such as heating, radio and navigation aids also lead to drivers making mistakes, with 26 per cent of the full survey sample saying this happened to them.
Safety over convenience
Separate Department for Transport (DfT) figures show 940 people were killed or seriously injured in crashes on Britain's roads in 2023 where a driver was found to be distracted by something within their vehicle.
Campaigners have long sought to crack down on the use of mobile phones while driving because of their potential to distract motorists from the road ahead.
Yet the message of safety over convenience has yet to fully sink in.
Earlier this year, rapper Stormzy was banned from driving for nine months after an undercover police officer caught him using a phone behind the wheel of a Rolls-Royce in west London.
Manchester City player Erling Haaland was reportedly caught scrolling on his phone while stopped in traffic last September.
Doing so behind the wheel still counts as using a handheld device while driving, even when the vehicle is stationary.
Similarly, rail minister Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill was reported to police after he was caught doing the same thing in April while behind the wheel of his vintage Routemaster bus, which he was driving during a charity event.