With an estimated 182,115 accidents resulting in injury occurring on Britain’s roads in 2007, Sainsbury’s Bank has pointed to research indicating that such a number is unsurprising.

A questionnaire carried out by the personal finance provider has shown that 65 per cent of motorists have conducted themselves behind the wheel in ways which could increase the likelihood of having an accident. Common habits admitted to by respondents included eating and drinking behind the wheel, which 41 per cent admitted to doing in June of this year. The firm noted that while this is the same percentage as was recorded in 2007, the rising number of people on Britain’s roads meant that an additional seven million drivers may have snacked or supped while in command of their car this year.

Other oft-reported potential hazards included driving while tired, using a mobile phone, reading a map, tailgating and driving a vehicle with dirty windows which limits visibility. Making journeys while fatigued was the second most common act, with 28 per cent of people - equivalent to 8.4 million drivers - admitting to doing so over the course of last month.

Sainsbury’s also pointed out that, despite it being illegal, as many as 4.2 million Britons had driven while talking on the phone, while there was an eight per cent increase in the number of people who sent texts while behind the wheel in the past year.

Commenting on the findings of the report, the group said in a statement: “Unfortunately, many motorists may not have considered the dangers behind some of their actions. For example, according to our research an estimated 665,000 motorists have admitted to using a second-hand child car seat in the past month and an estimated 472,000 have driven a child under the age of seven when they were not in appropriate safety seating.”

For those keen to make sure their vehicle is as safe as possible for driver and passengers, taking out a car loan may prove the additional finance necessary to ensure that costs are not cut when it comes to vehicle safety. As well as allowing people to buy a top of the range model, opting for a low rate loan of this type may also afford consumers the ability to take out robust car insurance cover as well.

Sainsbury’s also indicated that statistically, men were marginally more culpable than women when it came to adopting bad driving practices. While 8.3 million females admitted to bad vehicular habits, 10.8 million men conceded to driving badly. Meanwhile, regional statistics showed that drivers in the north-west were most likely to engage in potentially dangerous driving practices, with 76 per cent of those questioned living in this area admitting to doing so.

Earlier this month, motorists were also warned of the risks of taking their car to the continent without first checking the terms of their insurance policy. The AA informed consumers that failing to do so could leave them facing substantial medical fees and automotive repair costs in the event that they were involved in an accident abroad. This in turn could have a knock-on effect on their ability to meet other spending commitments such as mortgage and personal loan repayments.

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