Football supporters have been told to avoid driving while listening to matches on the radio as it could prove to be a major distraction and increase the risk of an accident occurring.
A study commissioned by esure car insurance and carried out by scientists at TTE Systems Ltd at the University of Leicester found that over a quarter of motorists could be putting their own lives and those of other road users in danger by listening to football on the radio while driving.
Among the findings of the study were that fans increased their speed or drove closer to the car ahead when listening to a game involving their team, with casual drivers retaining a more constant behaviour behind the wheel.
One example saw a Chelsea fan accelerate by five miles per hour after listening to a match against Barcelona when one of the opposition was sent off.
However, when the same drive was completed without the radio on, the driver maintained a constant speed without rapid acceleration.
Professor Michael J Pont of the University of Leicester said: "The results we obtained suggest that, particularly during high-pressure situations within the games, there was a very marked impact on the behaviour of the subjects in this study.
"It is concluded that – where possible – football fans should ask someone else to drive during important matches such as the Champions League Final."
Barcelona qualified for the UEFA Champions League final on away goals after drawing 1-1 on aggregate against Chelsea in the semi-finals.
Written by Craig Kemp
© Copyright
21 October 2010
21 October 2010
21 October 2010
20 October 2010
20 October 2010
