Distractions cause accidents ‘Shocker’

19 August 2006 0:23 GMT / By Jonathan Goddard

Eating while driving is dangerous, says a new report from the Department of the Bleeding Obvious.

Actually it was based on research from a car insurance firm and Brunel University, which tested 26 experienced drivers in a car simulator who were asked to drive a route twice – once while munching on sweets and drinking from a water bottle, once while paying their full attention to the road.

The "shocking" results showed not only that Brunel will sell its good name to the highest bidder, but that you could double your chances of having an accident if you choose to have breakfast while driving to work.

Nine out of ten of the accidents recorded in the simulator occurred at the exact point the driver was scoffing empty calories, proving that chocolate mice cannot – despite confectioners’ oft-made claims – help make you drive like Nigel Mansell.

"The results of our experiment strongly indicate that eating or drinking while driving increases the risk of a crash", some doctor or other at Brunel University. "Drivers may not perceive the risk to be any higher than other menial in-car tasks, but the impaired reactions combined with the increased workload suggest drivers should exert caution."

Of more interest, the research said 75% of drivers eat and drink at the wheel, compared with a third who still use mobile phones without an earpiece or car kit. Seeing as proper research has stressed time and time again that any form of distraction can increase the chance of being in an accident, it makes three-quarters of us very stupid indeed.

So don’t eat or drink while your driving, and while your not at it, don’t do your make-up read a book, feed your dog or play on your PSP either (I have seen all of these being done by drivers on the M1 in the last 2 weeks). Just use some common sense, people.

Full tags

Car And GPS, Brunel University, Surveys, Safety