Understanding sexual activity while driving as a form of distracted driving

Sexual activity while driving has been reported in emerging research. Sexual activity while driving is a form of distracted driving because it includes an individual (the driver) who deviates resources from the primary task (driving) towards a secondary task (sexual activity). However, most of our current knowledge about the range of sexual activities while driving is based on self-reported data or media reports. Thus, an in-depth understanding of sexual activities while driving and their interactions with non-sexual driving behaviours and vehicle control is missing. Additionally, there is limited information on the context of where sexual activities while driving occurs and the influence of factors such as the environment, the vehicle, interactions with other road users, and other invehicle distractions. To cover this gap, a content analysis of sexually explicit media (SEM) was conducted on a sample of 270 videos depicting real driving. We conducted descriptive analyses and used decision tree analysis to explore the association between sexual activities while driving and their interactions with non-sexual driving behaviours and vehicle control. The videos portrayed a naturalistic driving situation of a driver of a moving vehicle engaging in sexual activity. The results show that when engaging in sexual activity, drivers do not present safe vehicle control. Sexual activity imposes additional cognitive, physical, and visual demands on the driver, thereby decreasing safety. Similar to other distractions, drivers engaging in sexual activity while driving appear to mitigate risks. Concerning the potential for legal sanctions, it appears that drivers may attempt to conceal sexual activity by reducing their visible nudity and minimising interactions with other road users. Finally, mobile phones and cameras appear to interact with sexual activities while driving, by imposing potential restrictions on the range of sexual activities. Implications for policymakers and practitioners are discussed.