Texting while driving: South Africans love it
A survey conducted in September among 24 countries finds that South African’s are almost twice as likely to text, email, or use social media while they are driving.
The findings reflect a new poll of 14,160 drivers conducted by Ipsos OTX – the global innovation center for Ipsos, the market and opinion research firm.
Two in ten (22%) of those in 24 countries who drive indicate they text, email, or use social media while they are driving, even when they’re at a stop sign or a red light.
Four in 10 (41%) South African admitted to breaking the law by using their mobile whilst behind the wheel, ranking second, behind only Saudi Arabia (43%).
South Korea (33%), India (29%), China (27%), United States (27%), Brazil (25%) and Russia (25%), all followed for committing the offence.
The countries where people were least likely to use their phones included Japan (18%), France (17%), Poland (17%), Turkey (17%), Belgium (15%), Spain (14%), Hungary (9%), and Great Britain (8%).
Other countries who took part in the survey included: Indonesia (24%), Sweden (24%), Mexico (23%), Argentina (21%), Australia (20%), Germany (20%), Canada (19%) and Italy (19%).
Texting while driving
| # | Country | Texting while driving |
| 1 | Saudi Arabia | 43% |
| 2 | South Africa | 41% |
| 3 | South Korea | 33% |
| 4 | India | 29% |
| 5 | China | 27% |
| 6 | USA | 27% |
| 7 | Brazil | 25% |
| 8 | Russia | 25% |
| 9 | Indonesia | 24% |
| 10 | Sweden | 24% |
| 11 | Mexico | 23% |
| 12 | Argentina | 21% |
| 13 | Australia | 20% |
| 14 | German | 20% |
| 15 | Canada | 19% |
| 16 | Italy | 19% |
| 17 | Japan | 18% |
| 18 | France | 17% |
| 19 | Poland | 17% |
| 20 | Turkey | 17% |
| 21 | Belgium | 15% |
| 22 | Spain | 14% |
| 23 | Hungary | 9% |
| 24 | Great Britain | 8% |
Global averages indicate that age is among the most important variable in determining a driver’s likelihood to message behind the wheel. Those under the age of 35 (31%) are most likely to say “yes” they engage in the behavior, compared with those 35-49 (21%) and those 50-64 (10%).
The poll found no gender difference (23% male, 22% female) on the global aggregate level.
And, according to the survey, communicating digitally while in the car appears to be highly related to a person’s work life as those who are employed (25%) are more likely than those unemployed (15%) to say “yes”.
Business owners, at 33%, are also more likely to use their mobile while driving to communicate, compared with 20% among non business owners.
Similarly, income (28% high, 21% medium, 19% low) and education (25% high, 22% medium, 19% low) are also indicators of greater likelihood to drive and message, Ipsos found.
More on texting while driving
Voice-to-text while driving is not safe: study
SA among worst for texting whilst driving
SA’s mobile obsession while driving
The impossible texting and driving test
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