In 2023, 24% of injury accidents were caused by a driver’s lack of attention, including the use of smartphones or other “technological distractors”. These behaviors cost the lives of 390 people in France.
Launched in 2016-2017 by the MAIF Foundation and Gustave Eiffel University, the annual barometer on the use of smartphones while driving allows us to better understand these practices and their consequences.
More often than their elders
This year, the study, carried out among 2,511 drivers aged 18 to 80, focused particularly on the 18-35 age group. And the results are edifying:
83% of young drivers say they use their smartphone while driving, with more dependency and handholding than their elders.
Active and riskier behaviors
Young people handle their phones more frequently, particularly to use GPS (80%), listen to music (54%), make calls (35%), check emails and text messages (34%).
Activities such as writing messages, browsing the Internet, or filming represent worrying behaviors among young people. However, 11% surf the internet and 6% use social networks.
Awareness and radical solutions
Despite these habits, awareness of risk is no less important among young people:
30 % of young drivers who use smartphones while driving would opt for the more radical application, banning smartphones while driving, even with a hands-free kit.
22 % want more awareness campaigns on the dangers of these practices.
*Study carried out in spring 2024 by Ergocentre thanks to funding from the MAIF Foundation on a representative sample of the French population of 2,511 people including 1,050 people aged between 18 and 35.
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