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Drivers are switching off while at the wheel after only 11 minutes of driving, according to a study by Fly Research.

The monotony of driving and lack of mental stimulation is causing motorists to enter into auto-pilot mode, putting their car insurance premiums and both themselves and other drivers at risk.

These mental lapses have led one in eight drivers (13 per cent) to have an accident or a near miss.

Twenty-five per cent of drivers say they get bored while on the road and the lack of concentration can affect them so much that over a third (34 per cent) have made journeys they do not recall making.

A further 14 per cent said that they entered an auto-pilot mode whereby they instinctively drive to their office when they did not intend to drive there.

Evidence suggests that people look to regain their mental clarity through technological stimulations. These can be activities such as using the internet or reading text messages, which drivers otherwise feel withdrawn from while staring beyond their wheel.

Yet, this poses a further risk of causing people to be too distracted to notice hazards on the roads.