2 in 5 UK Drivers Checking Facebook Whilst They Drive

Two in five UK motorists check their social media websites while driving, according to new data.

Almost 50 per cent of drivers make sure that they can see their mobile phone when driving, so that they don’t miss out on being poked, tagged or messaged.

Facebook is the leading temptation, with 27 per cent of all motorists admitting to logging on to the social media website whilst they’re on the move. That culminates in 21 per cent of drivers posting statuses at red lights.

It’s not just social life which distracts motorists when they’re on the road. The survey, carried out by Confused.com, also found that 15 per cent of motorists use heavy traffic to catch up on work calls and emails.

More than one fifth of UK drivers are incapable of driving for more than 15 minutes without checking their phone for calls, texts and notifications while a further 45 per cent admit to becoming frustrated when they receive calls or texts on the road.

The survey is particularly damning as 75 per cent of motorists know it is illegal to use a hand-held phone whilst the engine is switched on with 60 per cent continuing to answer their phone if it rings while they are driving.

A recent report by the Texas A&M University, found that a driver’s reaction time is doubled when texting or reading a text message. The research also found that drivers tend to slow down when using their mobile phone in order to improve their chances of avoiding a collision or incident whilst doing so.

That suggests that drivers are aware that texting or interacting with a mobile phone increases their chances of being in a crash, something that Confused.com’s research indicates is four times more likely when using a mobile phone.

The dangers of using a mobile phone whilst driving have been emphatically confirmed in the Middle East recently.

During the three-day disruption of BlackBerry services earlier in the month,traffic accidents fell by 20 per cent in the United Arab Emirates and by 40 per cent in Abu Dhabi – where no fatal accidents were recorded.

Police in the country attributed the sharp fall in incidents to the disruption of the mobile phone giant’s services.

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