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

  • February 5, 2015
    Prison sentence for holding a mobile device while driving
    As of 1 February, it will be illegal for drivers in Singapore to hold any type of mobile device while driving. Previously, only calling or texting someone on a mobile phone was barred. Anyone caught holding any mobile device, phone or tablet, while driving can be found guilty of committing an offence; this means mobile phones and tablets. The new changes include not just talking or texting but also surfing the web, visiting social media sites and downloading material. The law also applies to just hold
  • January 23, 2012
    Changing driving conditions need ongoing driver training
    Trevor Ellis, chairman of the ITS UK Enforcement Interest Group, considers the role of ongoing driver training in increasing compliance. It is over 30 years since I passed my driving test. The world was quite a different place then, in that there were only half the vehicles there are now on the UK's roads, mobile phones did not really exist and (in the UK at least) the vast majority of us drove cars which by today's standards exhibited dreadful dynamic stability and were woefully underpowered.
  • June 4, 2015
    IAM calls on government to increase targeted enforcement
    The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is urging the new government to increase its efforts in promoting road safety by giving targeted enforcement a higher priority. With the yet-to-be-revealed figures for 2014 shaping up to show an increase in deaths and injuries on UK roads, the IAM believes the new government must make road traffic policing a core priority function for police forces and commissioners in England and Wales. The call comes following a survey conducted by the IAM throughout April 2
  • April 30, 2012
    Smartphone apps creating more distraction for young drivers
    Recent survey findings from Ingenie, a UK car insurance brand for young drivers, have revealed that 58 per cent of 17-25 year old drivers agree that smartphone apps are causing young people to be more distracted at the wheel. The company commissioned the survey of 1,000 young drivers, conducted by One Poll, which has uncovered the extent of how smartphones and social media are distracting 17-25 year olds when behind the wheel.