The IAM Safety Culture Index

Motorists are more worried about the dangers of the distraction posed by technology than drink-driving, according to a new ‘safety culture’ survey by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).

The IAM’s Safety Culture Index is a study of more than 2,000 UK motorists’ attitudes to driving safety and behaviour.

The report reveals that driver distraction is becoming an increasingly prominent issue. 77% of those surveyed say it is now a bigger problem than three years ago. This compares to just 23% of people feeling drink driving is a bigger threat.

Those surveyed also said text messaging and social media are the two biggest factors threatening their personal safety, with 93% and 92% respectively claiming these to be a ‘very or somewhat serious’ threat.

The next two factors they see as threats to their personal safety are drink and drug driving, at 90% and 89% respectively.

Respondents were more worried about speeding in residential streets than on motorways – 86% believing this to be a ‘very or somewhat serious’ threat, compared with 62% for motorways.

61% of those interviewed said it was acceptable to drive 10mph over the speed limit on the motorway, while just 27% felt it was acceptable to drive 5mph over the limit on a residential street.