Skip to main content

Survey reveals inattention as colossal car crash cause

A new survey of car crashes cites inattention as the leading cause. The study was carried out by Allianz Global Assistance and the Allianz technical centre and focussed on driver behaviour. The report revealed that around one third of car accidents are due to inattention, with 60% of drivers admitting that using mobile phones while driving is the leading reason for inattention. Meanwhile a further 40% of drivers admitted they talk on the phone while behind the wheel. Even more worryingly, 30% of drivers adm
July 8, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
A new survey of car crashes cites inattention as the leading cause. The study was carried out by 3924 Allianz Global Assistance and the Allianz technical centre and focussed on driver behaviour. The report revealed that around one third of car accidents are due to inattention, with 60% of drivers admitting that using mobile phones while driving is the leading reason for inattention. Meanwhile a further 40% of drivers admitted they talk on the phone while behind the wheel. Even more worryingly, 30% of drivers admitted to looking at emails and texts while driving and 20% send messages while driving. According to Allianz, a hands-free kit is as distracting as a mobile phone and increases the risk of a crash by two to five times. Risks are also increased by the use of GPS, radio and CD players, discussions with other passengers and putting on make-up while driving.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Worrying crash statistics
    April 24, 2012
    Official statistics available for the UK collated by the police show that during the 12 years to 2011, there were over 3,000,000 road casualties in Great Britain. During this 12 year period over 36,000 people died while a further 373,985 were seriously injured.
  • Road trains project saves space as well as fuel
    February 23, 2012
    A high-tech European project involving cars could reduce fuel consumption by up to one-fifth as Patrick Smith reports. A new EU project, Sartre, is aimed at developing and testing technology for vehicles that can drive themselves in long road trains on motorways.
  • Increase in road crashes in the Netherlands
    November 1, 2016
    After several years of declining numbers of road crashes and improving safety statistics, the Netherlands is seeing an increase in road fatalities. Research by Dutch insurance umbrella body Verbond van Verzekeraars reveals that the number of crashes in the country is now increasing once more. During 2015 there were 502,000 personal claims following road crashes in the country, coampred with 462,000 in the previous year. Meanwhile the road fatality rate increased from 570 in 2014 to 621 in 2015. Similarly, t
  • US pedestrian deaths fall but still high
    November 26, 2024
    According to analysis from the Governors Highway Safety Association - GHSA – annual US pedestrian traffic deaths fell for first time since the pandemic, but are still above the pre-pandemic level.