The survey of 4,000 motorists for Continental Tyres found that drivers were only fully concentrating on the road for 67 per cent of the time spent at the wheel. And tuning the radio, talking to passengers and gawping at the scenery topped the list of everyday distractions.
The research found the average driver is on the road for 45 minutes a day and that they are in their own little world for 17 minutes of this time. They make an average of three trips in their car each day. They are distracted at least three times on each journey and for at least four seconds each time. At just 40 mph a car will travel over 18 metres every second.
Some 27 per cent of respondents believe their short attention span is to blame for their poor driving – with more than four in 10 being disinterested in the road ahead and not being able to concentrate for more than 37 minutes. It also emerged 45 per cent have crashed or had a close call due to being distracted whilst behind the wheel.
TOP 20 DRIVING DISTRACTIONS
1. Re-tuning the radio/inserting a CD into the player
2. Talking to a passenger
3. Looking at scenery
4. Eating
5. Listening to loud music
6. Reaching into the glovebox
7. Looking at houses
8. Drinking
9. Other drivers in cars next to you
10. Passengers asking questions
11. Texting
12. Trying to unwrap a sweet
13. Talking on the mobile phone
14. Looking at a hot girl/bloke walking down the street/in another car
15. Shop windows
16. Kids in the back seat shouting, or playing up
17. Trying to read a map
18. SATNAV
19. Looking at billboards
20. Singing
Source:Continental Tyres
