The average driver breaks the speed limit an astonishing 18 000 times during their driving lifetime.
That's what UK road safety charity Brake says, as part of its campaign to get drivers to slow down to slow down to 32km/h or slower in built-up areas, to help reduce road deaths during the British summer holidays.
(That sounds like a lot but, over an average driving lifetime of 61.5 years, that's just less than six times a week; we can't help feeling that the corresponding figures for South Africa might be a lot worse.)
The British report makes disturbing reading for parents - four out of five of whom are already worried about letting their children play outside due to the threat of speeding traffic.
It shows the average driver will have 81 near-misses and be involved in as many as 35 minor accidents such as bumps and scrapes.
It also reveals the activities, apart from driving, which are carried out at the wheel.
John Miles, of Gocompare.com, which conducted the research, explained:
“Ferrying people around on dates, applying make-up, checking the telephone, crying, listening to music and kissing are just some of the things motorists get up to in their cars.
“It's okay to use your car as a home-from-home if you're parked - but if you're driving your mind should be on the road, not juggling a hot coffee and a cellphone.”
The study involved examining the habits of 2000 drivers; researchers found the average driver covered nearly 480 000km or 12 times round the world - during their lifetime.
And, worst still, nearly 80 respondents (that's four percent) admitted they'd actually fallen asleep while driving. - Daily Mail