· Misbehaving
children, infotainment systems and reaching for items in the
footwell revealed as key in-car distractions
· Three fifths of
drivers say in-car distractions lead to taking their eyes off the
road
· “Driving can be
tricky if someone is trying to get your attention” says MD of AA
Accident Assist
A quarter (25%*) of drivers say that front seat passengers that
talk to them are the biggest in-car distraction, according to a
new survey by the AA's Accident Assist service.
The poll of more than 11,000 drivers also found that children
misbehaving came a close second as the biggest in-car distraction
(24%), while reaching for items in the glovebox or footwell (22%)
claimed third place.
Older drivers (65+) admitted that they were more distracted by
taking a phone call compared to younger drivers (25-34), whereas
younger drivers said that the car's infotainment system was more
of a distraction to them compared to older drivers. A third of
drivers claimed not to be distracted by anything in their car
when behind the wheel.
Top five in-car distractions 2025 – AA Accident
Assist
1. Front passenger
talking – 25%
2. Children misbehaving – 24%
3. Reaching for items in footwells/glovebox –
22%
4. Sounds from car (e.g. collision
avoidance warnings) – 21%
5. Car infotainment system – 17%
Drivers were then asked what happened following these
distractions. More than two fifths (43%) said they took their
eyes off the road for a few seconds, whereas one in six (17%)
said they took their eyes off the road for a few moments.
While a third (34%) said nothing happened to them while
distracted, one in 12 drivers said they clipped the kerb (8%),
while one in 16 (6%) left the lane they were in. Some experienced
more danger with 3% narrowly avoiding a crash, but one in a
hundred colliding with something.
Some AA members were proactive in trying to eliminate their car
causing distractions with one member saying; ‘I stopped the
car and told the kids we were not going anywhere till they
behaved.'
Another member said; ‘I ignored the talker, and asked them to
be quiet if I'm driving through an area I don't know well.'
As well as slowing down, and in some cases opting to stop, it was
clear that interference added more time to a journey as several
drivers told us that because of the distraction they; ‘took a
wrong turn and missed my exit.'
Tim Ranking, managing director of AA Accident Assist,
said; “Driving can be tricky if someone is trying to get your
attention. Drivers certainly do not need the added stress of
children fighting in the back seat while they try to navigate a
busy roundabout.
“Passengers often mean well by trying to chat, but they may not
be aware of the distraction they may be causing. Meanwhile, the
advance of vehicle technology has led to some drivers focusing
more on the alarms and beeps than the road ahead.
“With the Christmas Getaway fast approaching, drivers should do
what they can to eliminate in-car distractions. That may mean
asking people to stop talking for a moment while you focus on the
task at hand, keeping the kids occupied to stave off a chorus of
'are we nearly there yet?', or setting up your car before
heading so you aren't tempted to play with the infotainment
system.”
ends
NOTES TO EDITORS
* Yonder received 11,011 responses from AA members to its online
poll between the 14th and 22nd October 2025. Yonder is
a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
