One third of drivers use mobile while driving - survey

A new survey shows that one in three Irish motorists talk on their mobile phone while driving, with two in five claiming to be a better driver than their partners.

The Skoda Ireland Motoring Index also shows that one in 10 admitted to damaging another car when parking.

Eating, chatting on the phone, texting and smoking are the top four distractions Irish motorists confess to while behind the wheel.

The survey also revealed that men boast the clear majority in driving confidence with 49% stating they have superior driving skills to their partner, compared to just 16% of women.

Despite this, male drivers were more likely to have broken the speed limit, with 9% of men surveyed admitting to driving at speeds above 200km/h.

10% of the 1,000 drivers surveyed also admitted to damaging another person's car when parking.

More than half of them waited to confess to the other driver, with 18% of offenders saying they drove off without telling anybody.

The study also shows that during the chaos of last year's big freeze, two thirds of participants insisted on driving to work regardless of the snow and ice.