Snacking found to be number one distraction for Aussie drivers, research shows

Food is the number one distraction for Australians behind the wheel, a study from Finder has revealed.

The Finder Safe Driving Report 2021, which surveyed 925 Australian drivers, found 59 per cent were guilty of multitasking while driving.

The research found food is the biggest distraction, with almost half 45 per cent of Australian drivers having eaten at the wheel.

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More concerning, one in eight said they had texted while driving and six per cent have checked their social media.

Young people were particularly likely to be on their phones while driving, with Gen Z drivers – those born in 1995 or after – found to be twice as likely to check their social media compared to millennials.

An alarming six per cent of drivers admitted to "microsleeping" - a short burst of sleep behind the wheel, lasting just a few seconds.

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Three per cent said they'd watched a movie while driving and three per cent had replied to an email.

In the 12 months to June, 1142 people died on Australian roads, with more than half of those being the driver of the vehicle.