Texting, streaming and shaving: 11 million Australians are multitasking behind the wheel
Millions of Aussie motorists are endangering lives with reckless behaviour, according to new research by Finder.
A Finder survey of 1,013 respondents found more than half (54%) of Australians – equivalent to 11.2 million people – admit to losing focus while driving.
A shocking 13% of Aussies are still texting while driving, while more than 1 in 10 (11%) are checking social media.
The research found 7% had watched a TV show or movie, and 9% had changed clothes while on the move.
Tim Bennett, car insurance expert at Finder, said distracted drivers were a serious concern.
"Everyday tasks like responding to emails and applying makeup can become deadly distractions when done behind the wheel of a car.
"Taking your eyes off the road for even a few seconds can have devastating results."
Finder's research shows kissing a loved one (9%), replying to an email (9%) and reaching back to deal with children (7%) all made the dangerous driving list.
The data shows 1 in 5 (20%) have driven in thongs, while 6% had applied makeup while driving a car.
A disturbing 3% of Aussies admit they have driven with their knees, while 5% have shaved behind the wheel.
There were 1,322 road crash deaths in Australia in the 12 months to August 2024 – up a worrying 9.2% on the year before, according to Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE).
That's about 4 people a day who were killed on Aussie roads.
The dangerous driving trends are more common among young Australians – a disturbing 67% of gen Z admit they multitask behind the wheel.
Astonishingly 24% of gen Z text and drive, compared to only 2% of baby boomers.
Bennett said driving a vehicle requires undivided attention no matter how experienced you are.
"Some drivers treat their cars like their home on wheels – putting other road users at risk.
"The road situation in front of you can change in an instant. You will not be able to react quickly enough to prevent a collision if you're busy putting on a jumper or digging into a take-away meal."
Bennett encouraged Australians to think wisely about the choices they make on the road.
"Drivers can cop fines, lose demerit points and even face prosecution if they have a crash and it is determined they were distracted.
"If you break any of the mobile phone laws – texting, playing games or watching videos – you'll receive a minimum of 3 demerit points and a $390 fine, no matter your state or territory.
"In Queensland you could be fined as much as $1,161, while in New South Wales you can lose 5 demerit points instantly.
"Reading through the fine print of your car insurance policy should be a sobering reminder to stay alert on the road."
| Have you done any of the following in the past 12 months while driving? | |
|---|---|
| Eaten food | 40% |
| Driven in thongs | 20% |
| Texted (without using voice control) | 13% |
| Smoked | 12% |
| Used social media | 11% |
| Answered a call directly (not using handsfree) | 9% |
| Kissed a loved one | 9% |
| Changed clothes | 9% |
| Replied to an email | 8% |
| Watched a movie/TV show/streaming service | 7% |
| Reached back to deal with children | 7% |
| Applied makeup | 6% |
| Shaved | 5% |
| Read a newspaper/book | 5% |
| Driven with your knees | 3% |
| Microslept | 2% |
| I have not done any of these things while driving | 46% |
| Source: Finder survey of 1,013 respondents, September 2024 |
Methodology
- Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a monthly recurring nationally representative survey of more than 60,000 respondents.
- Figures in this release are based on 1,013 respondents from September 2024.
- The Consumer Sentiment Tracker is owned by Finder and operated by Qualtrics, an SAP company.
- The survey has been running monthly since May 2019.
