One in 10 motorists admits taking selfies while driving as campaigners call

One in 11 motorists in Britain has taken selfies while driving, a new survey has revealed.

The study – undertaken by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) – asked 502 drivers nationwide how they use smartphones and tablets while at the wheel. But this increased to 15 per cent of those aged 18 to 24 – and 19 per cent of motorists aged between 25 and 35.

Research has found that nine per cent of drivers take selfies while driving.

A separate report published by IAM showed that smartphone use is actually more risky than driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Beyond selfies, motorists are using their smartphones to place video calls as well with eight per cent of drivers admitting to have driven a vehicle while on a video-call.

Seven per cent of drivers even went as far as watching videos and streaming catch-up television, with you young crowd once again making this common; 13 per cent for the 18 to 24-year-olds and 15 per cent for the 25 to 32-year-olds.

Drivers were shown to have much slower reaction times, difficulty staying in the same lane and are less able to adapt to even slowly changing circumstances.

Sarah Sillers, of IAM, wants smartphone-use to become as stigmatized, socially unacceptable and legally punishable as drink-driving.

Almost one in five told the researchers they had surfed the internet using their smartphone or tablet.

She added: ‘Safe driving is everyone’s responsibility and more must be done to catch drivers using these devices dangerously by increasing the fines and points for smartphone and tablet use at the wheel – there is simply no excuse. According to official numbers from Department of Transport, there has been a decline of 40 per cent in number of drivers given penalty points for such a behaviour in 2014.

This survey is also a part of AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign, which emphasises on bringing awareness to distracted driving.