What are your driving habits?

FOUR out of five Irish drivers admit to using electronic devices or consulting maps while driving compared to two thirds of drivers in the UK.

When it comes to sending text messages while at the wheel, a quarter of Irish drivers admit to this offence, exactly double the number in the UK, at 13 per cent.

That’s according to recent research commissioned by Aviva which looked at driving habits across 13 countries around the world.

The research, which was carried out by IPSOS Mori on behalf of Aviva, found that drivers in Ireland compare badly with our neighbours in the UK with almost half of Irish drivers admitting to making phone calls behind the wheel without a hands-free kit, while in the UK, the equivalent number was one in five.

The numbers who report checking their social media while driving in Ireland is also more than double that of the UK (15 per cent v 7 per cent). In this respect, only Italian drivers are worse than Irish drivers among our European counterparts at 17 per cent.

Michael Bannon, Underwriting Manager with Aviva Motor Insurance, said it is shocking to find that so many drivers are taking such risks, given all that we know about road safety. Just a split second of distraction or lapse in concentration can result in death on the road. Technology has revolutionised our lives for the better in very many respects but when it comes to road safety its ability to distract can prove lethal.