Applying Makeup When Driving, Cause for Half a Million Crashes

British moto insurer Diamond has revealed the figures behind a recent survey among female motorists and they are nothing short of troubling. As it turns out, an estimated one in five women drivers admits to retouching their makeup on the go, when they’re behind the wheel, which translates into half a million crashes caused by them on the roads in the UK, The Telegraph informs.

As a rule, women have quite a reputation for being able to do more things at once, as opposed to their male counterparts, who, most of the time, can only concentrate on the task at hand. However, when it comes to driving, women should not even consider attempting doing something else and thus avoid risking their own life, as well as those of other drivers, for nothing, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents warns in light of the recent numbers uncovered.

“Around one fifth of female motorists confess they have touched up their mascara on the move – equivalent to 2.7 million of Britain’s 15 million women drivers. Three per cent admitted causing a collision when distracted by applying cosmetics. Twenty-seven per cent confessed to putting on make-up and nine per cent of those aged 18 or younger have had a crash while doing so – three times the average. That compares with just six per cent of women aged 56 or older who are least likely to do it at the wheel and just one in 200 – 0.5 per cent – in that age group who have had an accident while applying make-up.” The Telegraph writes of the study.

Adding all the numbers up, it becomes clear that women applying makeup at the wheel are responsible for half a million road crashes, the same publication says. Moreover, as Diamond also points out, even if there is no accident, women who choose to concentrate on their makeup instead of the road ahead are also liable to be charged with careless driving if a police officer sees them. Worst case scenario, if their recklessness takes another person’s life, they can spend up to two years in prison, following the introduction of a new offense of causing death by careless driving.

“It should go without saying that applying make-up while driving is a dangerous thing to do. Driving requires concentration and even a momentary lapse could turn a near-miss into a serious or even fatal accident. Commonsense says apply make-up before or after driving.” The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ Head of Road Safety, Kevin Clinton, warns, in light of the recently unveiled figures.