Skip to main content

One in seven UK drivers admit to having sex while driving

A UK survey, commissioned by car leasing specialist OSV, has found that almost one in seven drivers admitted to sexual activity when behind the wheel of a vehicle. Men were more willing to admit to this indiscretion than women: 60% of those that admitted to participating in a sexual activity were men, while only 40% of those that confessed were women. Around 60% of those who admitted to sexual activity during driving were between the ages of 30-59 while 30% were between the ages of 18-29. Only 10% of
October 29, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
Naughty boy
A UK survey, commissioned by car leasing specialist OSV, has found that almost one in seven drivers admitted to sexual activity when behind the wheel of a vehicle.

Men were more willing to admit to this indiscretion than women: 60% of those that admitted to participating in a sexual activity were men, while only 40% of those that confessed were women.

Around 60% of those who admitted to sexual activity during driving were between the ages of 30-59 while 30% were between the ages of 18-29. Only 10% of those owning up were over the age of 60.
 
However, sexual activities was not top of the list of admissions; it was second. ‘Picking your nose’ was top, with 40% of respondents saying they had done so.

Other dangerous admissions include checking social media (10%), taking a ‘selfie’ photo (4%), driving naked (2%) and eating with utensils (2%).
 
Co-founder of OSV, Debbie Kirkley, said the survey “helps lift the lid” on what people get up to while driving. “It is deeply worrying that so many people admit to taking part in these dangerous activities. More needs to be done to help highlight and educate people about the dangers,” she said.

A US survey in June 2014 found similar discrepancies between what men and women would admit to while driving. The Accident Analysis and Prevention report found 9.3% of women admitted to having full or partial sex while driving – at up to 130kph.

The number was higher for men, with almost a third engaging in sexual activity behind the wheel.

The US study was taken from a sample of 195 male and 511 female college students at a Midwestern university who took part in an online study about having sex while driving. One driver said he was able to keep control because his passenger straddled him facing frontwards and held the wheel.

Common driving errors reported included speeding (nearly 38%), drifting into another lane, (36%) and letting go of the steering wheel (almost 11%).

Researchers at the University of South Dakota said sex-related crashes were under-reported because couple were too embarrassed.

Related Content

  • Barriers to safety
    April 1, 2021
    All vehicle restraint devices on European roads are – or should be - certified according to the European impact standard EN 1317, implying conformity. But it doesn’t necessarily ensure that the crash barrier will perform its main aim of saving the vehicle occupants’ lives.
  • Young motorcycle riders at most risk in Europe
    January 20, 2017
    Young powered two wheelers are most at risk of crashing. That is the key finding of a recent report into powered two wheeler crashes in Europe. The analysis of 9,186 crashes where a motorcyclist was severely injured, shows that specifically young, male riders face a significant risk to become a road traffic victim. The European Commission recently published the ‘Study on serious road traffic injuries in the EU’ to collate data that could in the future prevent serious road traffic injuries. The aim was to
  • Riding the sustainable cycle
    October 5, 2020
    It’s taken a while in North America, but “vehicular cycling” has been replaced by “sustainable cycling”, says transportation engineer Tyler Golly.
  • The financial cost of crashes in the US
    February 1, 2023
    The financial cost of road crashes in the US places a heavy burden.