Talking to passengers is main cause of distracted driving mistakes – survey

Talking to passengers and daydreaming are bigger causes of distracted driving mistakes than using a phone, a new survey suggests.

The RAC, which commissioned the poll, warned that distractions can have “catastrophic consequences”.

More than three out of five (63%) of the 2,691 UK drivers surveyed said they have made mistakes behind the wheel because they were distracted.

Of this group, the most common causes were talking to other passengers (43%) and thinking about topics unrelated to driving (37%).

Interacting with modern touchscreen systems to control functions such as heating, radio and navigation aids also leads to drivers making mistakes, with 26% saying this has happened to them.

Mistakes included missing a junction, exceeding the speed limit, ending up in the wrong lane and nearly crashing into another road user.

When all respondents to the survey were asked what they consider distracting, the most common responses were talking on a phone (46%) and applying make-up or shaving (42%).

But among those who admitted to making distracted mistakes, just 8% and 2% of drivers respectively said those were the causes.

Separate Department for Transport (DfT) figures show 940 people were killed or seriously injured in crashes on Britain’s roads in 2023 where a driver was found to be distracted by something within their vehicle.

RAC road safety spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Talking to passengers or daydreaming are so common that they aren’t perceived by drivers to be big distractions, but our research has revealed they are in fact responsible for most of the errors drivers admit to.

“Although your eyes are on the road, it’s easy for your mind to wander behind the wheel, especially on long journeys.

“Distractions can have catastrophic consequences for both drivers themselves and other road users, especially in extreme instances like failing to stop at a junction or at a red light or crossing.

“Driving is still a very mentally demanding task, especially as we need to be able to react to what’s in front in a split-second, so it’s important we do everything we can to stay alert and minimise distractions.”