Direct Line has released the results of a study which found that 60 per cent of men admitted being distracted by attractive women while 12 per cent of women said they did the same when passing an attractive man.

Within the total UK figure of 922,000 distraction-related crashes per year, there are more cases of cars crashing into the vehicle in front during the summer than the winter, because more lightly-clad pedestrians prove more of a distraction.

21 per cent of drivers said that advertising billboards featuring beautiful models were also a major distraction on the road. As an aside, we wonder if anyone in the USA has ever tried to sue the company that put up the billboard for causing a distraction? Mad, but entirely possible.

Matt Owen from Direct Line said: “Stealing a quick look at an attractive pedestrian or billboard model may well be a bit of fun but, on a serious note, drivers shouldn’t underestimate that this type of distraction is a major contributing factor in road accidents.

“The number of crashes caused in this way have not changed year on year so drivers obviously are not learning to keep their eyes on the road.”

The worst-case scenario reported was where a driver was distracted by an attractive pedestrian and crashed – while their partner was in the passenger seat. Thus a two-second lapse can lead to loss of no-claims bonus, loss of car, loss of furious partner and a probable contempt from the object of desire on the pavement. That really is a bad day.

Christopher Macgowan
twitter: motorhomenews