More than two thirds of Australian drivers admit to risky, dangerous or distracted driving behind the wheel, according to a new survey from Compare the Market. And our love of food could be contributing to unsafe driving habits, with more than half of respondents (54.7%) admitting to eating food or drinking non-alcoholic beverages while driving.
Concerningly, 44.9% admitted to speeding, 38.2% to driving while tired, 17.4% to sending and reading text messages, and 10.5% to running a red light.
Despite this, when asked to rate their own driving ability, 42.2% said they were a great and safe driver, while 37.9% said they were good but could be better. A further 12.7% said they were ‘OK’, while 1.4% said they were not very good or safe drivers.
| What have you done while driving? | Australia |
| Eaten food / had a drink | 54.7% |
| Driven over the speed limit | 44.9% |
| Driven while tired | 38.2% |
| Reached for something in the back seat | 24.6% |
| Sent or read text messages | 17.4% |
| Ran a red light | 10.5% |
| Taken photos or videos | 9.0% |
| Driven under the influence of alcohol | 7.7% |
| Littered out the window | 6.7% |
| Ran a stop sign | 6.4% |
| Used social media | 6.2% |
| Driven without a seatbelt | 5.2% |
| Applied makeup / self-groomed | 4.3% |
| Driven under the influence of drugs | 2.9% |
| Played a game on the phone | 1.9% |
According to the research, 31.5% of Australian drivers admitted to using their phone while driving. Of this 31.5%, more said they used it for texting and messaging others (45.2%), compared to use of navigation and map apps (42.5%), taking phone calls (31.2%) and using phones to play music (28.2%)
Executive General Manager at Compare the Market, Adrian Taylor, warns drivers may not be able to claim on their car insurance if they’re caught using their phone illegally behind the wheel.
“When it comes to car insurance, there’s a difference between ‘being at fault’ for an honest accident and engaging in illegal or reckless behaviour, such as texting while driving,” says Mr Taylor.
“It’s concerning that so many drivers admit to risky behaviour behind the wheel – 75% is three-quarters too many.
“Seeing such high numbers of drivers taking selfies, reaching into the back seat or replying to text messages is worrying. Not only can this impact any potential car insurance claims, but it can put your life and the lives of others in jeopardy.”
To learn more about the survey and see how Australia compares to the USA and Canada, visit: https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/car-insurance/features/dangerous-driving-confessions/
For interviews and more information, please contact:
James McCay | +61 450 930 374 | [email protected]
Compare the Market is a comparison service that takes the hard work out of shopping around. We make it Simples for Australians to quickly and easily compare and buy insurance, energy, and home loans products from a range of providers. Our easy-to-use comparison tool helps you look for a range of products that may suit your needs and benefit your back pocket.
