One in six motorists admit to still using hand-held phones while driving, new research from The Green Insurer, which is focused on helping drivers reduce carbon emissions and drive in a more environmentally friendly way, shows.
Despite using a phone while driving being made a criminal offence in 2003 16% of motorists admit to looking at their mobile phone while driving – on average they say they check their phones an average of four times per week.
Younger drivers are the worst offenders, the research found. Around two in five (43%) drivers aged 25 – 34 years old admit to checking their phone while behind the wheel. By contrast 95% of drivers aged 55 and over say they never use their phone while driving. Worryingly, 2% of drivers surveyed admitted to having had an accident in the past three years caused, at least in part, by looking at their mobile phone while driving.
The Green Insurer’s study examined a range of everyday distractions that cause UK motorists to lose focus while behind the wheel. The top concerns which were described as “very distracting” by almost three in five (58%) drivers were overly bright LED highlights from other cars. This was followed by poor road conditions, such as potholes or illegible signs cited by 54%. Other distractions included aggressive driving from fellow motorists and flashing animated billboards along the roadside as the table below shows.
Paul Baxter, CEO, The Green Insurer, said: “Our findings highlight the extent to which distractions – both inside and outside the car – are impacting driver focus and safety on the roads. Mobile phone use while driving remains a major concern, and with two in five of those aged 25 - 34 admitting to looking at their phone, it’s clear that more needs to be done to deter this dangerous behaviour. External factors, such as overly bright LED headlights, potholes, flashing and animated billboards are also distracting for many British drivers. We therefore urge motorists to remain vigilant while driving, to avoid unnecessary distractions wherever possible, and to adhere to UK road regulations to reduce the risk of accidents.”
The Green Insurer has launched car insurance policies that customers can buy direct from its website at www.thegreeninsurer.com and through leading price comparison websites. A customer’s Green Driving Score will be used to calculate their renewal premium and to offer discounts when they renew. Policies are linked to a mobile app, which monitors how customers drive.
Every mile driven by customers will be offset using a range of carbon offset projects which are assessed for their carbon and environmental effectiveness as well as the social impact on the people and communities where they are based.
All customer enquiries to The Green Insurer will be dealt with by humans based in the UK rather than chatbots or overseas call centres.
Up to 70 companies have partnered with The Green Insurer to offer rewards and discounts including ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury’s Waitrose, Iceland and Morrisons plus retailers Clarks, Harvey Nichols, Halfords, Habitat and Waterstone’s as well as restaurant chains Zizzi, Ask Italian and Café Rouge. On a weekly supermarket shop of £200 a 6% discount would be worth more than £600 a year.
Independent and green offers include eco laundry capsules, eco clothing, refillable natural deodorant, sustainable sunglasses from Coral Eyewear and National Trust membership. The company plans to expand the number of rewards partners and is contacting companies who can also sign up on its website. It will also add other insurance partners in the future and potentially expand the types of policies it offers.
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