London - If you ever endured a long car journey with your parents as a child, chances are you played I Spy to pass the time.
When the traffic grinds to a halt and the cries of “Are we there yet?” begin, it is a surefire solution for frustrated parents.
But gadgets such as the iPad have now overtaken the traditional guessing game as a way to keep youngsters amused for hours on the road.
Nearly a third of drivers in an AA/Populus survey - which polled 23 450 motorists - said their parents had used I Spy to keep them happy on long trips.
But only 14 percent of today’s mothers and fathers said they played the game with their own children in the car.
Instead, motorists most often rely on electronic games or let youngsters play on smartphones to occupy them.
The AA stressed that keeping young passengers amused, whatever the method, is vital.
Previous research showed drivers are 12 times more likely to be distracted by their children than by talking on the phone.
The AA’s Edmund King said: “Momentary distraction behind the wheel can be the difference between life and death.
“Many drivers do not consider children in the car as a potential distraction but taking your eyes off the road for just a few seconds to deal with what’s happening on the back seat can have dramatic consequences.”
King, who is visiting professor of transport at Newcastle University, added: “Keeping children entertained in the car is one of the best ways to reduce the risk as they are less likely to be a distraction if they are occupied with a game.
“But traditional in-car entertainment has changed over the generations. ‘I spy with my little eye’ is being replaced by the iPad as a tactic to keep modern children quiet on a long trip.”
The AA’s research highlighted the fact that drivers or riders “failing to look properly” – because of distractions including child passengers – is the most commonly cited contributing factor in UK road accidents.
Sudden braking, swerving and loss of control were also common causes. - Daily Mail
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