Children More Distracting than Mobiles
Posted by Jonathan Elder
New research reveals that that the number one distraction to drivers is in fact their own children.
Research conducted by motoring website, ContractHireAndLeasing.com reveals that children are by far the biggest distraction to drivers. When website visitors were asked what they found most distracting whilst driving, child passengers came top by a significant margin, taking over half of the vote (53 per cent). In second place ‘taking hands-free phone calls’ polled a measly 18 per cent of the vote.
Of course, these were self selected answers, and not a proper test of driving skill under controlled conditions, but I have to agree that children can cause major distraction. Arguing, travel sickness, unexpected in-car toilet breaks and the ever-present ‘are we nearly there yet’ call all seriously take your attention away from the road.
The leading marketplace for contract hire cars thinks that advice should be given to drivers to help them plan journeys made with children so that they become aware of the need to make sure children are adequately catered for before setting off on a journey. Adult passengers also need to be considerate to the task which the driver is undertaking to allow the driver to give full attention to the road.
ContractHireAndLeasing’s Richard Lawton says that “Undoubtedly people require 100 per cent mental focus when behind the steering wheel. Ensuring that children have some form of entertainment in the car is one of the best things you can do to try and keep them from misbehaving whilst in the car.”
Other distracting items, such as poorly working wiper blades or dim headlight bulbs are much easier to fix!
