Owners of SUVs are more likely to talk on a mobile phone and not wear their seat belts, according to a study from Britain. About 8 per cent of 4WD drivers were seen using hand-held phones, compared with just 2 per cent of drivers of other cars. Almost 20 per cent of 4WD drivers were seen driving without a seatbelt compared with 15 per cent of drivers of other cars.

SUVs have long been favoured by “yummy mummies”, who use them to ferry kids to school and back. The researchers noted that these were the worst offenders in the survey. They concluded that drivers take more risks because they feel safer in a vehicle that’s larger than most others on the road. Heck, we could have told them that.