Nearly One Third of US Drivers Get Amorous while Behind the Wheel

Valentine’s Day is getting closer as we speak, and though some may see it just like a wicked marketing scheme that helps boost sales of related merchandise, the truth is that many get carried away with this holiday. Even the most romantically challenged of us tend to forget about safety at the expense of love.

A recent study conducted by the InsuranceQuotes.com by GfK Roper, a division of GfK Custom Research North America, reveals that 93 percent of drivers report they engage in it somehow, whether by texting, talking on a cell phone — even kissing.

Moreover, 29 percent of the drivers surveyed acknowledge they've been amorous behind the wheel. That number climbs to 39 percent for highly educated drivers (at least a bachelor's degree) and high-income drivers (at least $75,000 in annual earnings).

GfK Roper completed 1,006 interviews with 485 male and 521 female adults age 18 and older, of which 858 had a valid driver’s license.

“Kissing your Valentine while you're driving certainly can be fun, but it also can be dangerous," said John Egan, managing editor of InsuranceQuotes.com. "Sixteen percent of fatal crashes in 2009 were attributed to distracted driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Given that statistic, it's wise to keep your eyes on the road, rather than on your sweetheart."

“They may or may not see activities such as use of a cell phone or texting as dangerous, but probably feel that it’s a bigger issue for other drivers,” Del Lisk, vice president of safety services at DriveCam Inc. said in a statement. “Remember, these are confident, successful people. Unlike others, they feel they can do it and be relatively safe. It’s the classic, ‘It can’t happen to me’ syndrome.”