December 2021
Featured in this insight: Automotive, IT & telecommunications
Almost one in ten UK motorists say they had to call 999 after hitting a pedestrian on their smartphone: A recent survey by Fiat has revealed that nearly 10% of UK motorists admit to calling 999 after they hit a pedestrian who was on their mobile phone.
The study polled 2,000 British drivers and mobile phone users in an attempt to warn people of the dangers mobile phones can cause when the user does not remain vigilant. The survey also found that 16% of motorists had to swerve around pedestrians in the road.
When asked about how they react when a pedestrian walks into the road in front of them, 17% said they exchange angry words or swear at them. In addition, 14% stated they would use rude gestures to get their point across.
The poll also looked at differences in age groups, and which age group would be most likely to walk into the road without looking. It was uncovered that eight in ten 18 to 24 year-olds said they had looked at their smartphone while crossing the road; an increase of 47% when all age groups were observed.
Furthermore, 18 to 24 year-olds were also more likely to be involved in confrontations, found the survey, with 36% admitting using rude gestures, and a third revealing they would use angry words or swear towards either at motorists or smartphone users.
Fiat also looked at ways to prevent people getting into accidents involving pedestrians and motorists, finding that parking sensors not only make it easier for drivers to park, but also might make pedestrians more aware of the car.
When attempting to prevent an accident occurring, just under a quarter (24%) of motorists said they had to honk their horn to make pedestrians aware of them; while almost a quarter (23%) said they had to break heavily in order to avoid a collision.
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