3 in 5 Indians admit using mobile phone while driving: Report

A recent report released by Nissan Group of India has revealed that Indians are posing a serious threat on the road with three in every five admitting using mobile phones while driving.

Conducted in collaboration with Nissan and Kantar IMRB, the Nissan Connected Families of India survey deep dives into the day-to-day driving habits of Indians across 20 states, ranging from over-speeding, phone usage, punctuality and vigilance to trust.

Of this, North India leads with 62 per cent compared to the South with 52 per cent. At the same time, only one in four Indians have admitted that they have been caught by cops breaking this law. Over-speeding additionally posed another problem as 60 per cent of respondents admitted to over-speeding in Kerala, followed by 51 per cent in Delhi, and 28 per cent in Punjab.

As per the survey, when it comes to trust, a large percentage of women respondents (nearly 64 per cent) trust their spouse when it comes to driving, as against just 37 per cent of men who could say the same. Children, however, scored consistently low on the trust score with 30 per cent respondents rating them the least. The survey also identified the increased need for vigilance as respondents said that they would always want to monitor their children while they are driving.

Jerome Saigot, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India said, “The findings of the Nissan Connected Families of India survey have not only revealed some startling facts but also raised a need for in-car technology and connectivity for safety of the loved ones. This has been further affirmed by the fact that 53 per cent respondents expressed the desire to be connected to their family even while driving”.

Apart from trust and vigilance, the survey highlighted interesting patterns in India’s driving habits. About 68 per cent Indians confessed to always getting lost while driving to a new place, often leaving their families worried and anxious. Moreover, nearly 64 per cent of the respondents admitted to getting late for meetings. This trend varied from North to South, as 65 per cent respondents in Kerala conceded to failing in keeping time commitments as opposed to 48 per cent in Punjab.