- Over half (57%) of Welsh drivers admit to speeding, with 64% saying they habitually break the speed limit.
- A third (39%) of drivers admit to driving tired, while 31% have used their phones while driving and 45% say they have been distracted by children or other passengers.
- 60% of people surveyed from Wales said they felt anxious driving on British roads
New data reveals that 57% of Welsh drivers admit to speeding, with 64% saying they habitually break the speed limit.
Not only are drivers in Wales regularly driving above safe speeds but they also admit to being distracted while behind the wheel, with 39% admitting to driving tired, 31% use their phones while driving and 45% saying they have been distracted by children or other passengers while behind the wheel.
This worrying insight into British driving comes from a survey of 1,500 people using UK roads by OOONO, a company committed to making driving safer and simpler. These admissions of dangerous driving come in stark contrast to the 60% of people surveyed from Wales who said they felt anxious driving on unfamiliar British roads.
Younger drivers across the UK came out as the worst offenders with a quarter of 18 – 24 year olds admitting to regularly going over the speed limit, compared to just 13% of 65+ year olds. They are also the group most likely to use their phone behind the wheel, with 40% admitting to it, compared to just 15% of 65+ year olds.
These distractions come at a cost with 19% of Welsh drivers saying they have received a speeding ticket in the past 5 years while 64% of those weren’t aware the speed camera was there until the fine arrived.
Mike Skyte, OOONO’s UK Country Manager, said: “Fines and penalties are inconvenient and easily avoided, but what people should be really worried about here is how many drivers are distracted on their journeys and zone out. Whether it’s a mobile phone, passengers, sat nav directions or simply tiredness, there are distractions around us every time we get behind the wheel. The encouraging thing is that drivers recognise these risks, which means there are simple steps we can all take to reduce them – from taking regular breaks and putting our phones away, to using technology that keeps us informed without demanding our attention.”
British Drivers’ Top Driver Distractions according to the OOONO survey include:
- Mobile phones
- Children in the back
- Sat nav directions
- Eating and drinking
- Other road users
- Radio and music
- Passengers talking
- Tiredness on long trips
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