Skip to main content

1 in 14 motorists admit to taking 'selfies' while driving

Research by price comparison website Confused.com shows that 1 in 14 motorists (seven per cent) admit to having taken a photograph while driving, and four per cent also use the social media app of the moment, Snapchat, to send photos to friends while at the wheel. In addition, 36 per cent of motorists admit to using their mobile phone when driving, mainly to make or answer calls (75 per cent) and send or check texts (43 per cent). Yet, despite so many flouting the law, only eight per cent say they have
March 20, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Research by price comparison website Confused.com shows that 1 in 14 motorists (seven per cent) admit to having taken a photograph while driving, and four per cent also use the social media app of the moment, Snapchat, to send photos to friends while at the wheel.

In addition, 36 per cent of motorists admit to using their mobile phone when driving, mainly to make or answer calls (75 per cent) and send or check texts (43 per cent). Yet, despite so many flouting the law, only eight per cent say they have actually been caught by police using their phone behind the wheel. Of those who have been caught, 57 per cent admit to continuing to use their phone while driving after their brush with the law.

6187 Institute of Advanced Motorists director of policy and research Neil Greig said: "Research shows that it is simply not possible to use a mobile phone in any way whilst driving and stay safe no matter how confident you may be in your driving ability.  This seems to be another form of peer pressure to take part in the latest trend and the best way to avoid it is to give young people the skills to stand up for themselves and not follow the herd and post silly photographs online.  It is also really worrying that many drivers caught using a phone are not learning the lesson.  The IAM want to see more traffic police out there catching bad drivers but this survey would seem to suggest not even that will stop those addicted to using their smartphones."

Related Content

  • May 21, 2012
    Orthopaedic surgeons launch campaign against distracted driving
    The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) have announced their members' commitment to end the distracted driving problem in America. This national initiative, made possible, in part, with support from the Auto Alliance, encourages drivers to 'decide to drive' and includes a new multimedia public service advertising (PSA) campaign, interactive Web site, school curriculum, print public service poster contest and materials to help surgeons talk to all thei
  • February 5, 2016
    Drink-drive casualty figures ‘unacceptable’ says IAM
    The numbers of people killed and seriously injured on British roads as a result of drink driving have remained largely static for the last five years, according to the latest government figures. The figures show that between 210 and 270 people were killed in accidents in Britain where at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit, with a central estimate of 240 deaths; unchanged since 2010. The number of seriously injured casualties in drink-drive accidents fell by per cent from 1,100 in 2013 to
  • April 17, 2012
    Enforcement cuts distracted driving dramatically
    The government of Indonesia says it is working to reduce the number of road deaths in the country by 50 per cent by 2020 and by 80 per cent by 2035. To achieve this, the government will be upgrading the road infrastructure as well as introducing a road safety programme that will run over a ten-year and 25-year plans, starting this year. The programme will be overseen by the National Planning Development Board with involvement of the national police as well as the public works, transportation, national educa
  • September 5, 2013
    Drivers with up to 42 points still on the road
    New figures from the UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) have revealed that motorists with up to 42 penalty points on their licence are still driving on Britain’s roads. Drivers can be banned from the road if they accumulate 12 points on their licence over a three-year period, but there are 8,000 drivers still getting behind the wheel despite having reached or exceeded that number.