Good-looking pedestrians is one of the biggest distractions for Kiwi drivers, a new survey of over 1000 drivers has found.

Traffic Source: Breakfast

The survey also found one in five Kiwis is still sending text messages from behind the wheel, despite the activity being outlawed.

The Drivers Index survey, which asked 1,000 regular Kiwi drivers aged 18 years to rate 12 distractions, found almost 50 per cent of younger drivers, aged 18-24, flouting the texting law.

"Despite being illegal, texting remains the top driver distraction for the fourth consecutive year, while reading has risen from second position since last year," AA Insurance's Amelia Macandrew said.

Twenty per cent of drivers said people outside the car were also a major problem, with 25 per cent of men from this group admitting they're more likely to find attractive pedestrians a distraction than women.

One AA Insurance customer became distracted by an attractive young woman on the footpath, while he was driving to work. He hit the car that had stopped in front of him, which resulted in a $2,300 claim for his car, plus damages to the other vehicle.

AA Insurance's Top 10 List of Driver Distractions

1.1st equal: Texting on a mobile phone & Reading a newspaper or magazine

2.Applying make-up, shaving or other personal grooming

3.Talking on a mobile phone WITHOUT a hands-free kit

4.Changing the radio/iPod/MP3 player

5.Eating while driving

6.Children in the car

7.7th equal: Talking on a mobile phone WITH a hands-free kit & Using GPS or other navigation system

8.Billboards /outdoor advertising

9.People outside the car