Smartphones are becoming a significant distraction for young drivers, it has been shown.

Research carried out by road safety organisation ingenie revealed 40 per cent of motorists aged between 17 and 25 admitted to answering their phones without a hands-free kit while driving, while one in six of this age group have crashed as a result of being distracted by their phone.

"We're increasingly using smartphones to occupy ourselves during downtime, but driving is an active pursuit and it really does need our full attention," commented ingenie founder and chief executive officer Richard King.

He added that smartphones offer a growing range of useful services and functions, but there is a time and a place to enjoy this technology and it is not when people are behind the wheel of a vehicle.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists' director of policy and research Neil Greig recently argued more must be done to help young drivers obtain affordable insurance premiums and stay safe on the UK's roads.

He highlighted initiatives like black box installation and the promotion of additional advanced driver training as excellent schemes that could offer significant benefits.

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Posted by Jamie Burton