Distracted drivers a roadway menace

Despite technology to help keep both hands on the wheel, people are choosing to use their hands elsewhere when they’re in the driver’s seat, according to a new six-country survey commissioned by Jabra, a developer of headset and in-car speakerphone solutions.

The most common activities include texting, eating, changing clothes, operating GPS systems, yelling at other drivers and even performing sexual acts while driving.

To make matters worse, only 32 per cent of respondents reported using a hands-free device, which is the law in many regions.

Thirty-five per cent admitted to having taken clothes off or putting clothes on while the car was in motion and another 23 per cent said they often styled their hair.

The majority, or 73 per cent of respondents, admitted to eating food while behind the wheel of a car.

“It is truly unbelievable what people are doing while driving,” said Jonas Forsberg, general manager for North America with Mobile Division, GN Netcom Inc.

“The results of our survey show that so many people are distracted and doing other things while on the road — even though they know the consequences that can occur.

“We are dedicated to increasing our efforts to encourage people to focus on the road and to use a hands-free headset or speakerphone if they want to talk or text while driving.

“We hope that people will soon understand the implications of these bad behaviours and will change their own behaviour accordingly,” Forsberg added.

Twenty-nine per cent of respondents admitted to having kissed others while driving and 15 per cent said they had had sex or performed other sexual acts while driving.

Twenty-eight per cent said they have sent text messages while driving, 13 per cent reported they have applied makeup, 12 per cent admitted to having written or read emails, 10 per cent reported reading newspapers or magazines, five per cent confessed to having played video games and five per cent said that they have shaved while behind the wheel.

The results of the survey were based on responses from an online questionnaire of 1,800 consumers between the ages of 18 and 65 in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and Japan

Road rage in general appears to be a global issue, with 63 per cent reporting that they yell at other motorists while driving, and the French appear to be the biggest offenders.

Across the board, the Japanese are the worst offenders when it comes to personal grooming while driving and electronic distractions like video games, movies, audio books and music devices.

The British appear to be more safety oriented, exhibiting the highest level of awareness around highly dangerous driving behaviours.

Photograph by: Jason Kryk, The Windsor Star