Data collected by Compare the Market indicates that a significant majority of Australian drivers engage in behaviours that could compromise road safety.
The survey found that 54.7% of respondents have consumed food or non-alcoholic beverages while driving, making it the most frequently reported distraction.
Other common admissions include exceeding speed limits (44.9%), driving while fatigued (38.2%), and reaching for items in the back seat (24.6%).
Notably, 17.4% acknowledged sending or reading text messages while operating a vehicle, and 10.5% admitted to running a red light.
Despite these behaviours, self-assessment of driving skills remains high. Over 42% of participants described themselves as “great and safe” drivers, while 37.9% rated themselves as “good but could be better.” Only a small proportion, 1.4%, considered themselves unsafe drivers.
Mobile phone use while driving was also reported by nearly one-third of respondents. Among those who admitted to phone use, texting and messaging were the most prevalent activities (45.2%), followed by using navigation apps (42.5%), making calls (31.2%), and playing music (28.2%).
The findings have implications for insurance coverage, particularly in cases involving illegal mobile phone use.
Adrian Taylor, executive general manager at Compare the Market, pointed out that certain behaviours may affect claims.
“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,” he said.
He added: “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.”
A separate survey conducted by Budget Direct suggests that confidence in using mobile devices while driving is on the rise.
The 2024 survey of 1,000 drivers found that 22% now feel confident using their phones while driving, up from 12% in 2020 and 19% in 2023.
Within the two weeks prior to the survey, 45% of respondents reported using their phones while driving.
The most common reason was accessing navigation apps (23%), followed by checking phones at traffic lights (8%), changing music tracks (over 6%), and reading or responding to messages (3%).
When asked about motivations, 44% said they felt capable of managing phone use while driving, 17% cited habit, and 15% pointed to emergencies as justification.
Further research by AAMI has reinforced the extent of distracted driving. The study found that 38% of drivers had been involved in an accident or near-miss due to distraction, and nearly 90% admitted to driving while distracted at some point.
Cognitive distractions, such as thinking about personal matters, were identified by 36% of respondents.
One in four drivers reported being distracted by mobile devices or smartwatches, and 60% said they had adjusted entertainment or navigation systems while driving.
Russell White, CEO of the Australian Road Safety Foundation, addressed the risks associated with distraction.
“Distraction has become one of the major contributing factors in serious crashes. It’s easy to forget you’re travelling in a fast-moving, heavy machine. The data shows it’s now rivalling fatigue and speeding as a major cause of road trauma,” he said.
He noted that distractions can be visual, manual, or cognitive, and that mobile phones are particularly problematic as they require attention in all three areas.
