More than half of Britain's motorists are distracted by everyday activities - such as eating - while driving, according to the findings of a new report from a road safety charity. Brake, in conjunction with Green Flag, has revealed that 57 per cent of drivers claim that their attentions are often diverted from the road by changing the radio station, talking to passengers and using a mobile phone.
Furthermore, some drivers even attempt to change CDs and eat meals while behind the wheel, the poll of 1,000 motorists has revealed. The road safety organisation cites previous research from Fleet News magazine that shows that trying to open up a packet of crisps could reduce reaction times by nearly a third.
Additionally, Brake is warning motorists to be mindful of how they use their satellite navigation systems, since sat navs can also have a distracting effect -not dissimilar to mobile phone usage. Jools Townsend, head of education at Brake, said that drivers should take a break if they are hungry or have to reach for something in their car - something that could prove vital if travelling through an accident blackspot, for instance.
She remarked: "Concentrating on something inside your vehicle, such as a sat nav screen or your stereo, is obviously taking your attention away from the road and the job in hand: driving."However, satellite navigation devices can have significant safety benefits because drivers do not need to concentrate on route planning, according to one car insurer.
Last month, the RAC said that it would offer drivers who used sat nav systems a discount because of the safety aspects of using a route planning system. A spokesman from the company commented: "Owners basically have someone telling them what to do while they concentrate on the road. "It means you don't have to constantly look at road names, warning signs and so on - it makes you a lower risk."Furthermore, consumer organisation Which? recently said that although GPS systems are sometimes maligned because of the occasional strange choice of route, they can offer drivers significant benefits. Which?'s motoring editor, Richard Headland, remarked: "Sat navs often get a bad press for sending drivers the wrong way or down unsuitable roads, but our tests show that many of the newest portable sat navs work very well."They're also much easier to buy and easier to keep up to date than factory-fitted systems."