Nine out of 10 Aussie drivers admit they drive while distracted
Moderated by Tomas Kauer 
Up to 90 per cent of Aussies admit they drive while distracted, and 30 per cent say they won't change their poor driving behaviour unless they have an accident, a survey has revealed.
Police estimate that 200 deaths per year on the road across the nation are caused by distracted driving, and a third of Aussies surveyed by AAMI said they were involved in an accident or a near-miss due to distracted driving.
Examples of distracting behaviour can include talking or texting, eating whilst driving, or using touchscreens on the dashboard.
READ MORE: Trump says he's sending troops to Portland to protect ICE facilities
Nearly 40 per cent of drivers also admit to looking out the window at other drivers or pedestrians, or to look crashes and broken-down vehicles.
"Australian drivers view their own behaviours behind the wheel through rose-tinted glasses," AAMI's Mary Kennedy said.
"They are more likely to blame bad behaviours on other drivers than own up to them."
She said while 40 per cent of Aussies self-reported to using technology such as phones and smart watches whilst driving, that number increased to two-thirds when reporting the behaviour of other drivers.
READ MORE: Albanese meets with King Charles at Balmoral
"This shows we tend to be biased towards our own behaviours, believing we are safer drivers when compared to others," Kennedy said.
But many Aussies also admit they will not change their behaviour unless they or someone they care about - a family or friend - is involved in a crash.
According to government figures, there have been 1353 deaths on Australian roads in the past 12 months as of August 2025, with 118 deaths in that month alone.
The latter figure is 25 per cent higher than the average for August over the last five years.
DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
