Over one million motorists think mostly about sex when driving

We might not be a nation that talks about it, but we are certainly a nation that thinks about it. A new study into driver behaviour from leading motor insurer MORE TH>N reveals that over one million British motorists think mostly about sex while driving.

And it is not just sex that is on our minds when we’re behind the wheel. For 3.2 million drivers, work issues are their main concern and for 2 million drivers it’s family issues that preoccupy their thoughts while on the roads.

One of the most worrying findings from the study, commissioned to examine all aspects of behaviour on the roads, reveals that one in five drivers admits to concentrating on driving less than 75 per cent of the time – with some as little as 10 per cent of the time. And, despite it being an illegal activity, one in four (23 per cent) of drivers still use hand-held mobile phones while driving.

The study also reveals that 80 per cent of pedestrians think that if British drivers were more courteous, then the roads would be safer. Two out of three non-motorists are calling for cars to stop at zebra crossings and 50 per cent think slower driving would increase safety on the roads.

And when asked about irritations on the road, drivers cited the following as the most annoying:

Tailgating (28 per cent)
Lane hogging (20 per cent)
Drivers ‘cutting them up’ (14 per cent)
Slow driving (11 per cent)
Driving too fast (11 per cent).

Lisa Dorn, Director of Driver Research at Cranfield University, commented on the findings: “Unsafe habits can be unlearned just as easily as they can be learned, but first, drivers must recognise the risk they face by not concentrating on their driving. Research has shown that too many drivers consider themselves to be skilled, and therefore think they’re unlikely to be involved in a crash. These beliefs increase risk-taking on the road. Drivers need to be shaken out of their complacency and ask themselves a fundamental question - 'What is it about my driving that is likely to lead to a crash?'”

Pete Markey, Head of Insurance at MORE TH>N, said: "It appears that many UK drivers are preoccupied thinking about issues such as work and even affairs of the bedroom, instead of concentrating on their driving. This could be extremely dangerous not only to themselves but also to other motorists. We are urging drivers to give their undivided attention to the roads.”