YouGov: Britons increasingly addicted to their phones

Smartphones are taking over our lives in subtle ways. Nowadays, people looking down at their phones are everywhere.

YouGov examines the UK's growing addiction to mobile phones and changing ways of staying connected.

Most Brits (55%) check their phones during dinner, even when dining out with friends or family, with 53% saying they also check their phones at this time, albeit less frequently. 62% of parents say they check their phones during family meals.

Despite health concerns about mobile phones and similar devices, such as blue light, two-thirds of Brits use their phones in bed before going to sleep (65%), with 45% of respondents also doing so when they wake up during the night. Even with our nearest and dearest around us, it’s not enough to distract us, with 55% of married people saying they check their phone in bed.

Three quarters of employees (75%) check their phones while working, and with the increasing appeal of many modern TV shows, most Brits are unable to focus solely on the big screen, with 86% of respondents looking at their phones while watching TV.

Worryingly, the data also showed 15 per cent of drivers use their mobile phone while driving.

Unsurprisingly, the youngest were the most obsessed with their phones in all situations. 78% of 18-24 year olds checked their phones while dining out, 81% did so while at work and 92% of respondents did so while sleeping.

Most Brits can’t get by without their phones. More than half (54%) of respondents said they couldn’t get through more than two days without their phone, and one in five couldn’t go four hours without their phone. Among 18-24 year olds, these figures rise to 63% and 23% respectively.

199IT.com Originally compiled from: YouGov. Please do not reprint without authorization