Distracted Drivers Admit Romantic Encounters, Changing Clothes Behind Wheel

Much of the discussion about distracted driving involves texting while behind the wheel. And while plenty of motorists admit to doing just that, a new survey also sheds light on more unusual activities that are problems on our roads.

According to a newly released survey by Erie Insurance, fully 15 percent of us admit to having romantic encounter or combing/styling hair while driving. And that's just people who admit to it! You wonder how many drivers are to embarrassed to own up to it. Additionally, the survey found drivers who were:

Changing clothes: 9 percent
Applying makeup: 8 percent
Brushing or flossing teeth: 4 percent
Taking selfies: 4 percent
Changing drivers: 3 percent
Going to the bathroom: 3 percent
Others admitted to putting in contact lenses or eye drops, curling eyelashes, scratching off lottery tickets and playing the guitar, all while driving.

It turns out people in the South, men, and drivers ages 18 to 34 were most likely to say they texted while driving, while people in the Northeast, women, and people age 65 and older were least likely to say they texting while driving.

Texting, brushing, and scratching all are problems, of course. But the study found the biggest cause of fatal distracted driving crashes was simply daydreaming or losing concentration while behind the wheel. And there's no law that will be effective in stopping that behavior.