28 Feb 2011
Posted by Miriam O'Neill 
Handheld mobile phone usage while driving has gone up since 2009 according to AA Motor Insurance. This is despite numerous safety awareness campaigns and the fact that it is the second most common penalty point offence in Ireland after speeding.
53.8% of motorists surveyed in the AA’s most recent Motor Insurance Poll, conducted last January, admitted to using a handheld mobile phone at least occasionally while driving. This figure represents an increase of 3.4% since May 2009 when the AA last posed the question to motorists.
Following this upward trend, the number of motorists’ texting while driving also appears to have risen. 40.7% of the 22,000 motorists who participated in the AA Motor Insurance last January said they text while driving, up 8.4% since May 2009. 9.3% of drivers surveyed also admitted to surfing the web via their Smartphone while in charge of a vehicle.
Texting while driving is slightly more common among female motorists, with 43.3% saying they commit the offence at least occasionally compared with 38.9% of men. Inversely, male motorists are more likely to go online via their Smartphone. 11.2% of men surveyed said they were guilty of this compared with 6.5% of women.
“Mobile phones are so small, compact and user friendly these days it’s easy to see where the temptation lies. However research shows that you’re four times more likely to crash your car when on a mobile phone.” Warns John Farrell, Director of AA Motor Insurance. “Dividing your attention between the two tasks will impair your control of your vehicle and reduce your awareness of what is going on around you.”
Offaly residents, followed by those living in counties Kerry and Leitrim are revealed as most likely to chat on their mobile phones while driving. 63.1%, 61.2% and 61% of motorists in these counties respectively use their mobile phones at least occasionally while driving.
Leitrim residents emerged as most likely to send texts while driving, with 47.5% admitting to the driving offence. The AA Motor Insurance Survey also suggests that Dubliners are the most likely to dabble on their web access phones while driving with 10.8% admitting to the dangerous habit.
“When you use a mobile phone while driving you risk the safety of yourself and others. You could also be deemed guilty of contributory negligence by your motor insurance provider which could affect your claim in the event of a crash.” Says Farrell. “So please put your phone away until you’ve reached your destination.”
The AA invites motorist to share what they’re witnessing on the roads in terms of mobile phone usage via their blog at http://blog.aaireland.ie/
Ends
Notes to the editor;
Fig. 1 – Frequency with which motorists surveyed admitted to doing the following activities while driving (based on 22,015 responses)
| Daily | Regularly | Seldom | Occasionally | Never | |
| Use a handheld mobile phone | 1.6% | 5.9% | 10.7% | 35.6% | 41.1% |
| Send a text | 1.3% | 4.4% | 8.7% | 26.3% | 53.6% |
| Use a Smartphone to look up the internet | 0.5% | 1.2% | 2.2% | 5.4% | 73.5% |
Fig. 2 – County by county split of frequency motorists admitted to using a handheld mobile phone while driving (based on 22,015 responses):
| Daily | Regularly | Seldom | Occasionally | Never | |
| Carlow (209 responses) | 1.4% | 5.3% | 9.6% | 36.8% | 44.0% |
| Cavan ( 209 responses) | 0.5% | 9.1% | 12.5% | 34.1% | 38.9% |
| Clare ( 397 responses) | 1.8% | 7.6% | 10.6% | 39.0% | 37.8% |
| Cork ( 2,253 responses) | 2.2% | 5.6% | 11.6% | 36.4% | 40.0% |
| Donegal ( 326 responses) | 1.5% | 7.7% | 10.1% | 37.7% | 37.7% |
| Dublin ( 7,604 responses) | 1.1% | 4.8% | 10.0% | 35.2% | 44.0% |
| Galway ( 923 responses) | 2.6% | 8.9% | 11.6% | 37.1% | 35.9% |
| Kerry ( 333 responses) | 0.6% | 9.9% | 12.6% | 38.1% | 34.2% |
| Kildare ( 1,356 responses) | 1.8% | 6.9% | 9.7% | 34.5% | 42.8% |
| Kilkenny ( 290 responses) | 2.4% | 2.8% | 10.0% | 30.0% | 46.9% |
| Laois (261 responses) | 1.5% | 6.9% | 10.7% | 36.8% | 38.7% |
| Leitrim (100 responses) | 2.0% | 5.0% | 12.0% | 42.0% | 35.0% |
| Limerick ( 709 responses) | 2.0% | 6.8% | 12.7% | 37.7% | 35.3% |
| Longford ( 123 responses) | 2.4% | 8.1% | 10.6% | 30.1% | 43.9% |
| Louth ( 471 responses) | 1.1% | 5.7% | 10.0% | 32.9% | 43.9% |
| Mayo ( 396 responses) | 2.3% | 7.8% | 12.6% | 34.8% | 38.4% |
| Meath ( 917 responses) | 2.0% | 5.5% | 11.8% | 36.9% | 40.1% |
| Monaghan ( 114 responses) | 0.9% | 11.4% | 10.5% | 35.1% | 37.7% |
| Offaly ( 216 responses) | 2.8% | 5.6% | 15.3% | 39.4% | 32.9% |
| Roscommon ( 218 responses) | 1.8% | 8.3% | 8.7% | 35.3% | 39.4% |
| Sligo ( 230 responses) | 1.3% | 4.8% | 13.0% | 36.1% | 39.6% |
| Tipperary ( 478 responses) | 2.3% | 6.3% | 12.3% | 36.8% | 36.6% |
| Waterford ( 457 responses) | 1.8% | 7.0% | 10.3% | 36.3% | 40.7% |
| Westmeath ( 322 responses) | 1.2% | 8.1% | 11.5% | 34.5% | 38.2% |
| Wexford ( 558 responses) | 2.2% | 7.2% | 9.5% | 37.8% | 37.8% |
| Wicklow (873 responses) | 1.9% | 5.3% | 11.7% | 35.1% | 41.1% |
Fig 3. – County by county split of frequency motorists admitted to sending texts while driving (based on 22,015 responses):
| Daily | Regularly | Seldom | Occasionally | Never | |
| Carlow (209 responses) | 1.0% | 3.8% | 4.3% | 34.9% | 59.8% |
| Cavan ( 209 responses) | 1.0% | 6.3% | 9.2% | 25.2% | 53.4% |
| Clare ( 397 responses) | 1.8% | 3.8% | 10.3% | 26.2% | 54.1% |
| Cork ( 2,253 responses) | 1.1% | 4.0% | 10.2% | 25.0% | 54.7% |
| Donegal ( 326 responses) | 1.2% | 5.8% | 7.4% | 21.8% | 58.9% |
| Dublin ( 7,604 responses) | 0.8% | 3.8% | 8.0% | 28.2% | 53.6% |
| Galway ( 923 responses) | 2.2% | 5.9% | 10.5% | 27.7% | 48.6% |
| Kerry ( 333 responses) | 0.6% | 6.9% | 11.2% | 22.1% | 52.6% |
| Kildare ( 1,356 responses) | 1.3% | 4.8% | 8.6% | 27.4% | 53.1% |
| Kilkenny ( 290 responses) | 1.7% | 3.4% | 6.2% | 24.1% | 54.1% |
| Laois (261 responses) | 1.1% | 5.0% | 8.0% | 28.7% | 51.7% |
| Leitrim (100 responses) | 1.0% | 6.1% | 8.1% | 32.3% | 47.5% |
| Limerick ( 709 responses) | 1.6% | 4.9% | 8.8% | 25.7% | 52.4% |
| Longford ( 123 responses) | 1.7% | 5.0% | 8.3% | 24.0% | 55.4% |
| Louth ( 471 responses) | 0.2% | 5.1% | 9.5% | 23.9% | 54.5% |
| Mayo ( 396 responses) | 2.0% | 5.3% | 9.6% | 22.1% | 56.6% |
| Meath ( 917 responses) | 1.5% | 4.5% | 9.0% | 28.9% | 51.8% |
| Monaghan ( 114 responses) | 0.0% | 9.6% | 12.3% | 20.2% | 52.6% |
| Offaly ( 216 responses) | 1.9% | 4.2% | 8.4% | 27.4% | 52.6% |
| Roscommon ( 218 responses) | 2.3% | 3.3% | 9.8% | 23.3% | 54.4% |
| Sligo ( 230 responses) | 1.3% | 2.2% | 6.9% | 27.7% | 53.7% |
| Tipperary ( 478 responses) | 1.9% | 5.3% | 9.9% | 21.1% | 55.1% |
| Waterford ( 457 responses) | 1.5% | 4.8% | 7.2% | 23.9% | 57.0% |
| Westmeath ( 322 responses) | 1.5% | 4.3% | 9.6% | 27.2% | 50.9% |
| Wexford ( 558 responses) | 2.4% | 3.6% | 7.1% | 24.6% | 55.3% |
| Wicklow (873 responses) | 1.4% | 4.1% | 9.3% | 25.7% | 53.8% |
Fig. 4 – County by county split of frequency motorists admitted to looking up the internet on their Smartphone while driving (based on 22,015 responses):
| Daily | Regularly | Seldom | Occasionally | Never | |
| Carlow (209 responses) | 0.5% | 0.0% | 2.0% | 3.0% | 79.8% |
| Cavan ( 209 responses) | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.5% | 3.9% | 78.9% |
| Clare ( 397 responses) | 0.8% | 0.8% | 3.1% | 5.0% | 74.9% |
| Cork ( 2,253 responses) | 0.6% | 0.9% | 2.9% | 5.0% | 73.1% |
| Donegal ( 326 responses) | 0.0% | 1.0% | 2.5% | 1.3% | 77.7% |
| Dublin ( 7,604 responses) | 0.4% | 1.3% | 2.4% | 6.7% | 72.7% |
| Galway ( 923 responses) | 0.8% | 1.4% | 2.9% | 4.2% | 74.1% |
| Kerry ( 333 responses) | 0.0% | 0.9% | 1.5% | 3.4% | 74.1% |
| Kildare ( 1,356 responses) | 0.5% | 1.3% | 1.8% | 5.2% | 75.1% |
| Kilkenny ( 290 responses) | 0.4% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 3.9% | 72.6% |
| Laois (261 responses) | 0.4% | 1.2% | 2.7% | 5.8% | 69.6% |
| Leitrim (100 responses) | 1.0% | 0.0% | 1.0% | 8.2% | 71.1% |
| Limerick ( 709 responses) | 0.3% | 0.7% | 2.2% | 5.3% | 73.1% |
| Longford ( 123 responses) | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.7% | 5.1% | 75.4% |
| Louth ( 471 responses) | 0.4% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 4.6% | 73.3% |
| Mayo ( 396 responses) | 0.0% | 1.0% | 1.5% | 4.4% | 78.1% |
| Meath ( 917 responses) | 0.3% | 1.2% | 2.1% | 5.3% | 75.8% |
| Monaghan ( 114 responses) | 0.0% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 5.3% | 77.2% |
| Offaly ( 216 responses) | 0.5% | 1.0% | 0.5% | 5.3% | 70.5% |
| Roscommon ( 218 responses) | 0.0% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 74.6% |
| Sligo ( 230 responses) | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1.8% | 4.8% | 73.6% |
| Tipperary ( 478 responses) | 0.2% | 0.9% | 1.5% | 3.3% | 77.1% |
| Waterford ( 457 responses) | 0.9% | 1.4% | 1.1% | 5.5% | 74.0% |
| Westmeath ( 322 responses) | 0.3% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 4.4% | 74.5% |
| Wexford ( 558 responses) | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 4.3% | 73.2% |
| Wicklow (873 responses) | 0.6% | 1.1% | 2.7% | 5.1% | 73.0% |
Fig. 5 – Frequency with which MALE motorists surveyed admitted to doing the following activities while driving (Based on 11,875 responses)
| Daily | Regularly | Seldom | Occasionally | Never | |
| Use a handheld mobile phone | 1.8% | 6.3% | 11.0% | 36.0% | 39.7% |
| Send a text | 1.3% | 4.1% | 8.6% | 24.9% | 55.0% |
| Use a Smartphone to look up the internet | 0.6% | 1.4% | 2.6% | 6.6% | 72.2% |
Fig. 6 – Frequency with which FEMALE motorists surveyed admitted to doing the following activities while driving (Based on 8,743 responses)
| Daily | Regularly | Seldom | Occasionally | Never | |
| Use a handheld mobile phone | 1.3% | 5.4% | 10.4% | 35.7% | 43.0% |
| Send a text | 1.0% | 4.6% | 8.9% | 28.8% | 51.9% |
| Use a Smartphone to look up the internet | 0.3% | 0.8% (63) | 1.6% | 3.8% | 75.8% |
