Social media and FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) could be putting road-users at risk, as motorists admit to checking social networking sites and reading messages on their phones while driving. A poll of 1,565 drivers* carried out by insurer Aviva found that four in 10 people questioned (42%) had used their phone at some point while driving for reasons other than hands-free calls.
- 22% Of Drivers Aged 18-24 Admit To Checking Facebook While Driving
- Four in 10 Drivers Admit Using Phones Behind The Wheel
- One In Five Drivers Aged 18-24 Own Up To Using Snapchat or Instagram While Driving
- Aviva Video Highlights Importance Of Not Using Phones While Driving
The poll suggests that drivers aged 24 and under are most likely to be using their devices while in charge of a motor vehicle. Two thirds questioned (66%) said they had used their mobile phones while driving, with four in 10 (40%) reading text messages and one in five (22%) using Facebook. Around one in five in this age group also admitted to checking photo sharing apps such as Snapchat (19%) and Instagram (21%).
Aviva has just launched a thought-provoking short video which turns the phone debate on its head. In the film an actor asks members of the public to sign a petition to legalise all mobile phone usage while driving. Unsurprisingly the video shows that people are appalled by this prospect. The film can be seen at www.youtube.com/user/AvivaUK
The research showed that across all age groups, the most popular reasons for picking up mobiles while behind the wheel were to answer calls (not hands free) and to use sat-nav facilities. However as the table below reveals, usage of other apps and functions is evident, particularly amongst younger drivers:
| Reason for using phone while driving | Proportion of drivers across all ages who admitted to using app / function | Proportion of drivers aged 18-24 who admitted to using app / function |
| Answering a call (not hands-free) | 21% | 27% |
| Sat Nav (e.g. Google Maps, Apple Maps) | 17% | 26% |
| Messenger app or texting (e.g. Messages / WhatsApp / Facebook Messenger / Viber) | 16% | 40% |
| Email (e.g. Gmail / Apple Mail / Outlook) | 12% | 25% |
| 11% | 22% | |
| Web browser (e.g. Chrome / Safari) | 7% | 16% |
| YouTube | 6% | 17% |
| 4% | 13% | |
| 4% | 21% | |
| Snapchat | 3% | 19% |
A report from the Department for Transport published in 2015** found that 1.6% of drivers in the England and Scotland had been observed using a hand-held mobile phone while driving. This equates to around 728,000 drivers using hand-held devices on the roads.***
Peter Markey, brand and marketing communications director for Aviva says: “Driving while using a hand-held mobile phone is illegal, including when the car is stationary but still in use, so it’s shocking to see how many people are still breaking the law and potentially putting other road users at risk. At Aviva unfortunately we see every day the often devastating consequences of where people haven’t been concentrating while driving, so we’re urging people to take action and put down their phones.
“As part of our crusade to make Britain’s roads safer, we recently took to the streets to ask people whether they would like to legalise using phones while driving. Unsurprisingly an overwhelming majority of people questioned were horrified at the prospect, yet still too many people are taking their eyes off the roads because they can’t wait to check that message – or even upload that photo!
“The more we can do to improve safety on our roads, the better, so let’s stick to the law and put our phones down until we’re parked up and it’s safe and legal to use them.”
The short film is the latest of a series of initiatives by the insurer to promote safer driving, following a high-profile awareness campaign which included TV advertising, outdoor promotions and social and digital media. Last month Aviva announced that it is an official sponsor of road safety charity Brake’s national Road Safety Week.
To find out more about driving and the FOMO phenomenon visit: www.aviva.co.uk/car/motor-advice/safe-driving/article/fomo-influencing-dangerous-driving/
Ends
If you are a journalist and would like further information, please contact:
Aviva Press Office: Sarah Poulter, 01904 452 828, sarah.poulter@aviva.com
Notes to editors:
*A survey was conducted online by ICM Limited on behalf of Aviva between the 10th-13th June 2016 with 2,021 respondents of whom 1,565 were drivers. Out of 1,565 drivers surveyed, 655 admitted to using their mobile phones for reasons other than hands-free calls, equating to 42% of drivers polled. For the purposes of the survey, ‘driving’ is classified as including being stationary in traffic while the engine is on.
**Source: Seat belt and mobile phone use surveys: England and Scotland 2014.
***Source: DVLA: As of 30 September 2014, there were 45.5 million active driving records in GB.
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