WHAT WE SAW IN NUMBERS

“Most drivers appeared to be sending a text, but a good few were still making phone calls”

THROUGHOUT the day we recorded 66 instances of traffic violations, from driving without a seatbelt to drinking with no hands on the wheel. Below are five of the most dangerous examples.

Mobile phone use

22 instances 33% THE greatest number of traffic violations we saw came from mobile phone use. We spotted 22 different drivers using a mobile phone while in traffic. Most appeared to be either sending a text or using an app, but a good few were still making calls. And although some put their phones away when the traffic continued to move, others started driving while still texting.

Wearing headphones

12 instances 18% DRIVING with music on is not illegal, but wearing headphones often means you have less chance of hearing a motorcyclist pull up alongside you, or the honk of a car warning you of its presence. “Loud music is also a distraction, and can cause a lapse in attention,” Rodger advised. Only a few drivers in Clapham Common were spotted doing this, with the majority found in King’s Cross.

Eating and drinking

10 instances 15% AGAIN, it’s not illegal to eat or drink (nonalcoholic beverages) while driving, but many of the motorists we spotted doing this had neither hand on the steering wheel as they accelerated away. “Driving without due care is an offence, however, and those eating behind the wheel need to realise their reaction times will be much slower,” Rodger told us.

Applying make-up

Two instances 3% WHILE there’s nothing wrong with topping up your lipstick, it’s not sensible to swirl foundation across your face when in traffic. We spotted two drivers in a short space of time applying make-up, neither watching the lights, their surroundings, or having either hand on the steering wheel as they came to a halt. It may be less common than mobile phone use, but it’s equally dangerous.

Reading a book

One instance 1.5 % THIS unlikely sight caught us completely by surprise due to its sheer stupidity. A cab driver had one hand holding a book and the other trying to steer the car, and his attention was split between the two tasks. Rodger said he was a huge liability on the road.