Most drivers admit using mobiles: Survey

More than half of Australian drivers have used mobile phones while driving, a new survey has found.

In the 2011 Survey of Community Attitudes to Road Safety, 54 per cent of drivers admit they have answered calls while driving and 27 per cent own up to making calls.

Nearly one-third of respondents admit reading text messages while in control of a moving car, and 14 per cent say they have sent messages.

But 86 per cent acknowledge using a mobile phone while driving increases the chance of an accident.

Almost 98 per cent of respondents in the survey, released by the federal government, agreed with random breath testing and 85 per cent were in strong agreement.

Respondents also agreed speed was the factor that most often caused accidents.

Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport Catherine King said the survey showed a complex picture of the community's relationship with road safety.

"The findings suggest that Australians generally have good awareness of the major factors involved in road crashes, such as speeding, drink driving, lack of concentration and fatigue," King said in a statement on Friday.

"It also shows that Australians on the whole approve of existing traffic regulation and enforcement practices."

However, King said these responsible attitudes did not necessarily translate to responsible driver behaviour.

"I am particularly disturbed by the proportion of drivers who admit to reading or sending text messages.

"It should be obvious to everyone that texting while driving is reckless behaviour and is simply unacceptable."

While drivers' knowledge of the dangers of speeding has increased, 70 per cent of drivers admit to sometimes travelling at 10 kilometres or more above the speed limit.

And 28 per cent of people believe it is all right to speed as long as it is done safely.

Driver fatigue is still a significant issue.

About 13 per cent of respondents said they had fallen asleep at the wheel, and among them 44 per cent had done so more than once.

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