Dangerous driving on the rise

Nearly 70% of UK drivers admit to having dangerous driving habits.

Potentially fatal driving habits are on the increase, too, with research from Sainbury's Car Insurance revealing an increase of 4% compared with results from last year.

Eating or drinking while driving was the most common bad habit, which was admitted to by 43% of those asked, while 9% of drivers confessed to getting behind the wheel after having an alcoholic drink and 10% said they had driven 'the morning after the night before'.

There's good news for seatbelt campaigners, though, with a 3% reduction in those driving without strapping in.

Most common bad habits
Top 10 bad habits that drivers admitted to doing during June 2009:

1 Eating/drinking while driving 43%
2 Driving while tired 32%
3 Excessive speed 17%
4 Driving while wearing flip flops/no shoes 14%
5 Using a handheld mobile phone 12%
6 Reading a map 11%
7 Texting while driving 11%
8 Driving after having an alcoholic drink 9%
9 Driving 'the morning after the night before' 10%
10 Driving with a pet loose in the car 8%

Lucy Hunter, Sainsbury's Car Insurance manager, said: 'Unfortunately many motorists get distracted too easily while driving and don't consider the possible consequences of their actions.

'We urge motorists to concentrate at the wheel and not be tempted to engage in anything that could distract them.'