Parents’ driving phone use habits in next-gen drivers – New research reveals children are up to five times more likely to use phones while driving after witnessing parents do the same.

Media release for Tuesday, 13 May 2025

New research from Road Safety Education Limited (RSE) (providers of the Ryda Program) has revealed a direct and alarming link between parents’ mobile phone habits while driving and their children’s future behind-the-wheel behaviour.

The survey of 260 students across 22 schools throughout Australia and New Zealand, conducted ahead of National Road Safety Week (11-18 May), found that students who observed parents taking photos or videos whilst driving were nearly five times more likely to intend to do the same.

Those who witnessed parents texting were 187% more likely to text themselves, while seeing parents make handheld calls resulted in a 68% increase in the likelihood of replicating this behaviour. Even legal activities showed significant influence, with students who saw parents making hands-free calls 140% more likely to follow suit.

John Elliott, Head of Program Delivery at RSE, described the results as a pivotal moment in understanding the formation of dangerous driving habits.

“This research confronts us with an uncomfortable truth – our children are watching and learning from every move we make behind the wheel,” said Elliott.

“The data clearly shows that when young people observe their parents using phones whilst driving, they’re dramatically more likely to normalise and ultimately replicate these behaviours. Encouragingly, over 95% of Ryda students indicated they were likely to use, or have already started using, Ryda strategies for managing phones while driving, including switching on do-not-disturb mode or switching the phone off completely, and keeping it out of sight in the glovebox.”

“Parents need to understand that every time they reach for their phone, they’re not just putting lives at immediate risk – they’re programming future driving behaviours that could have consequences for decades.”

General Manager for RSE New Zealand, Maria Lovelock, emphasised the opportunity presented by the findings.

“These results provide a critical intervention point in the cycle of distracted driving,” said Lovelock.

“By understanding that our actions as parents and caregivers have such a profound influence on the next generation of drivers, we have a tremendous opportunity to break the chain.

“When parents model focused, distraction-free driving, they’re not just keeping themselves and their families safe today – they’re quite literally saving lives tomorrow.”

The research also found that 47% of students had noticed their parents being generally distracted whilst driving, though this broad awareness had less impact on specific phone-related intentions than witnessing particular behaviours.

The most common phone-related behaviour observed was parents making hands-free calls (63%), followed by handheld calls (27%) and texting (22%).

Even the least common behaviour – taking photos or videos whilst driving – had been witnessed by 9% of students, representing a significant number of future drivers being exposed to extremely high-risk behaviour.

“This week as part of National Road Safety Awareness Week, we’re asking parents to commit not just to put their phones away, but to explicitly discuss this choice with their children,” concluded Elliott.

“Explain why you’re switching to do-not-disturb mode, why you pull over to take a call, why no message is worth a life. These conversations, combined with consistent behaviour, will save lives for generations to come.”

It’s research like this which has driven the development of RSE’s latest best practice program Drive Coach  – which aims to get teenagers and their parents on the same page with regards to safe road use.

-ENDS-

 

For media enquiries, please contact: Jaye Gilroy | jaye@thecreativecollective.com.au | 0421945285

Spokespersons available for interview:

  • John Elliott, Head of Program Delivery (Australia) & Group Data, Road Safety Education Limited
  • Maria Lovelock, General Manager (New Zealand), Road Safety Education Limited

Editor’s Notes:

  • Road Safety Education Limited (RSE) is a not-for-profit organisation providing best-practice road safety programs for young people throughout Australia and New Zealand.
  • Ryda is the brand name of RSE’s youth road safety education program. Rotary partners with RSE to deliver the program.
  • For more information on road safety education in your community, visit rse.org.au or rse.org.nz.