Study Finds One in Five Drivers Take Selfies Behind the Wheel

The Institute of Advanced Motorists in Britain, asked 500 drivers of all ages about how they use their cellphones while driving. One in five drivers admitted to taking a selfie in the car, with motorists between the ages of 25 and 35 most likely to mug for the camera while on the road. Women took car selfies at a much lower rate than men. One in eight men had taken selfies in the car while only one in twenty women had.

While selfies are annoying and distracting, many motorists admitted to much more dangerous activities. One in twelve motorists said they had used Skype or FaceTime to video call while driving. Seven percent of drivers said they watched television while behind the wheel.

Such irresponsible behavior isn't exclusive to the UK. Where there are cellphones, there are distracted drivers. A recent study by AT&T found 33 percent of 2,000 drivers surveyed worked on email from their phone while on the road. One in ten Americans used video chat and 14 percent used the photo editing app Instagram. In the US, 3,154 people were killed in car crashes involving distracted drivers in 2013; a 6.7-percent decrease in the number of fatalities recorded in 2012, according to NHTSA. However, the rate of people being injured is going up. Distracted driving crashes injured 424,000 people in 2013, which is an increase from the 421,000 people who were injured the year prior.