Just one in 10 drivers can complete a car journey without being distracted by their smartphone, according to IMS, a global leader in telematics data and connected motor insurance solutions.
IMS analysed data collected over the past 12 months from policyholders using usage-based insurance policies. Insurers such as Aviva, Allianz, Admiral, and Hastings employ smartphone apps to monitor driving behaviour, providing coaching and rewards to encourage safer driving habits. After examining the driving habits from a sample of approximately 500,000 drivers, IMS found:
· 8% used their phone during more than 75% of their trips (while in motion)
· 16% used their phone during 50–75% of their trips
· 28% used their phone during 25–50% of their trips
· 38% used their phone during 0–25% of their trips
· Only 10% completed all their journeys without any instances of distracted driving
On average, each distracted driving event lasts 200 seconds while the vehicle is in motion, and 68 seconds while idle. Alarmingly, 42% of all trips include at least one distracted driving incident while the vehicle is moving.
IMS’s CEO Paul Stacy said: “Our latest findings show the scale of the issue distracted driving has become on British roads and makes clear that the vast majority of us are guilty of it. The insurance industry is increasingly using smartphone technology to monitor and manage the road risk of policyholders that buy a usage-based insurance product, and from this data, we can see that smartphone distraction remains a significant contributor to road collisions and insurance claims.
“Encouragingly, overall road casualties have decreased in recent years, as young drivers have adopted telematics products, which encourage safer driving. But more needs to be done to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving, particularly as large in-car infotainment touchscreens become more prevalent. In a recent poll, we found that 52% of drivers identified them as their biggest in-car distraction, compared to just 14% for smartphones.”
What is distracted driving?
When it comes to examples of distracted driving, the severity of the distraction depends on the way the driver is interacting with the source of distraction, both cognitively and physically.
1: Low Distraction Risk
Drivers face a low risk of distraction when using a device such as a Bluetooth headset (wireless or wired) to participate in a phone call. While headsets offer the advantage of enabling drivers to keep their eyes on the road, they are still at risk of cognitive distraction. In other words, even though their hands are on the wheel and their eyes are on the road, the driver’s mental focus is elsewhere. Approximately 10% of all driving trips see a low to medium level of risk, according to 2020 IMS research.
2: Medium Distraction Risk
The level of risk increases when, in addition to that cognitive distraction, drivers face physical distraction too. This can occur when a driver takes a call on speakerphone or on a smartphone mounted to a dashboard. That person is now distracted on both the cognitive and physical levels, due to the need for physical engagement with the phone. When occurring, events of this type last for approximately 4.5 minutes on average.
3: High Distraction Risk
At this level, the driver is subject to all three types of distraction – cognitive, physical and visual. Effectively, it means the driver is looking at the phone screen instead of the road and other traffic – in addition to being physically engaged and mentally distracted.
Additional stats and context:
Studies, including research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, reveal that even after stopping a distracting activity – such as checking a phone or adjusting the radio – a driver’s cognitive focus remains impaired for up to 13 seconds. At a speed of 55mph, this delay equates to travelling the length of three football fields without full attention on the road.
According to the most recently available Department for Transport figures, in 2023:
· 23 fatalities occurred in collisions where mobile phone use was a contributory factor.
· Distraction and impairment were cited in 34.9% of all fatal collisions.
In terms of enforcement, 15,300 drivers were prosecuted in 2023 for using a handheld mobile phone while driving in the UK, while one in five UK motorists (23%) identified illegal phone use as their biggest motoring concern, based on a 2023 RAC survey of 2,937 drivers.
Among young drivers, the situation is particularly concerning. In 2024, 55% of drivers under 25 admitted to making or receiving voice calls without hands-free technology, the highest rate in eight years, according to the RAC.
According to UK police guidelines:
It is illegal to use a handheld mobile phone while driving on UK roads. Even hands-free use can result in penalties if your driving is deemed dangerous. Police officers have the authority to stop and prosecute drivers they believe are distracted and not in proper control of their vehicle.
It remains illegal to use a handheld device when:
· Stopped at traffic lights
· Queuing in traffic
· Supervising a learner driver
· Driving a vehicle with stop-start engine technology
· Holding and using a device that is offline or in-flight mode
You may use a handheld device only when:
· Safely parked with the engine switched off
· Calling 999 or 112 in an emergency when stopping is unsafe or impractical
· Making a contactless payment in a stationary vehicle, e.g., at a drive-through
· Using the device to park your vehicle remotely
About IMS
IMS is a world-leading connected insurance solution provider using telematics data to help customers improve their pricing, customer engagement, risk management and claims handling, whilst simultaneously making our roads safer. The company, with offices across the UK, Europe, and North America, has analyzed over 20billion driving miles and its algorithms are trained by trillions of data points each day. For more information, visit: https://ims.tech/
