A poll of two thousand UK car insurance customers revealed that 72 percent of drivers are regularly distracted by fellow passengers.

Twelve per cent admitted they had been involved in an accident where the passenger was the main culprit for their loss of concentration with a further 18 percent revealing they had had a near miss resulting from the actions of one or more of their passengers. Nearly a third of drivers admitted taking their eyes off the road while at the wheel to intervene in family feuds or to check on children or pets.

The school run was the worst journey for distractions, with 65 percent of drivers admitting they were regularly distracted by their children on the way to and from school. Long-weekend holiday trips and driving friends around on a night out also topped the list of difficult journeys.

Smoking was identified as the most annoying habit a passenger can indulge in, followed by changing the radio station constantly and talking loudly on their mobile phone.