88 pc motorists use mobile phones while driving, says report

Sydney, Mar 21, (ANI): A majority of drivers still risk their lives by using mobile phones while driving, a survey has revealed.

Of the 415 New South Wales drivers surveyed, 88 per cent made phone calls while behind the wheel. Sending text messages was the second most common phone misdemeanour, according to the report, with 68 per cent admitting they texted while driving.

Two in five drivers (40 per cent) said they use phone applications such as weather forecasts or news website applications, while 25 per cent use social media sites to tweet or update their Facebook status.

According to Adele Buhagiar, the spokeswoman for NRMA Insurance, which conducted the survey, the latest results prove that motorists aren't paying heed to warnings about using mobile phones.

"The research shows that our appetite for technology extends to while we are driving, with one in four admitting that they are updating their status or tweeting while at the wheel...This is up from one in ten last year," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted her as saying.

She said the number of drivers taking pictures when behind the wheel was the biggest surprise.

"Losing focus while behind the wheel, even if it is only for a split second, may cause the worst to happen," she added. (ANI)