Study reveals the wild ways drivers are getting distracted — that aren’t texting
In a new survey, U.S. drivers admitted to some jaw-dropping distracted driving behaviors that they performed behind the wheel.
The distracted driving study was recently released by insurance comparison website The Zebra.
While it is no surprise that using a phone while driving was the #1 distracted driving behavior, it is pretty surprising that the 2,600 survey respondents fessed up to some of the other behaviors, which included sexual activity, vomiting, and putting in contact lenses.
Take a look below for the full list of distracted driving behaviors.
- Read something on phone or other device — 58%
- Texted — 56%
- Picked your nose — 47.2%
- Eaten a full meal — 35.9%
- Kissed someone — 27%
- Put on or taken off clothing — 26.8%
- Cleaned dash board or windows — 25.3%
- Brushed your hair — 17.5%
- Applied makeup or deodorant — 15.2%
- Engaged in sexual activity — 14.9%
- Watched video content on a phone or other device — 14.6%
- Taken a selfie –14.6%
- Sent emails — 13.9%
- Smacked someone else in the car — 12.4%
- Popped a pimple — 10.5%
- Consumed alcohol — 9.6%
- Consumed drugs — 8.8%
- Vomited — 7.0%
- Flossed teeth — 5.6%
- Urinated — 4.5%
- Changed seats with a passenger — 3.9%
- Read a newspaper or book — 3.7%
- Tweezed eyebrows or facial hair — 3.5%
- Fed a baby a bottle — 3.4%
- Filed or clipped fingernails or toenails — 2.9%
- Put in contact lenses — 2.2%
- Shaved face or legs — 1.7%
- Painted fingernails or toenails — 1.1%
- Changed a child’s diaper –0.4%
Other key findings from the study include:
- New Yorkers admit to the most distracted driving followed by Washington, D.C., and St. Louis inhabitants. Seattle residents are America’s least distracted drivers.
- Generation Z drivers are most distracted, with distraction rates dropping significantly after age 40. Baby Boomers reported the lowest distraction rate.
- Nearly two-thirds of U.S. drivers (62.9%) say, “I know I shouldn’t use my phone while driving, but I do, anyway.”