Four out of five teenagers witness parents breaking road rules, new survey reveals

Four out of five teenagers say they have seen their parents breaking the law while driving, according to a new survey.

The survey, conducted by not-for-profit Road Safety Education revealed parents had done everything from texting and speeding to drink-driving in front of their children.

According to News Corp, Year 11 students in Sydney's west aged 16 to 17 were asked if their parents had done something illegal while behind the wheel.

The children penned a range of complaints including “Dad texts while driving”, “Mum drink drives”, “I see mum on the phone while driving” and “Dad speeds up to get through orange lights”.

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One of the participants revealed their mother had pressured her to exceed the speed limit despite being on her learner licence.

Another participant said they had witnessed their father taking an illegal right-hand turn.

Road Safety Education spokeswoman Brooke O’Donnell said the survey revealed that “our kids are watching everything”.

“Every wrong move a parent makes is internalised and undermines the positive messaging they’re trying to teach when it comes time for driving lessons,” she said.

“How do you convince your teenager that it’s dangerous to use a mobile while driving if they’ve been watching you do it?”