How Many People Are Having Sex While Driving?

Cars are usually thought of as practical tools: they’re machines that get us from point A to point B. Culturally, however, they’ve also become erotic spaces. From steamy movie scenes to fantasies about giving or receiving oral sex while driving, the moving vehicle has long had a place in our sexual imagination.

But how often does this fantasy translate into real-life behavior? And what are the potential risks of it?

A new study published in the Journal of Sex Research examined sexual activity in moving vehicles among Midwestern college students [1]. While we’ve long known that people have sex in parked cars (or use cars as transportation to a sexual encounter), we’ve had very little scientific data on sex happening while the vehicle is actually in motion.

As the authors note, sex in moving vehicles represents a “complex intersection of sexuality, gender, relationships, technology, traffic safety, and risk taking” (p. 2). That’s a pretty big combination of factors, which makes this a topic worthy of exploration and discussion.

The New Study

Researchers surveyed 1,135 college students in the Midwest about their experiences with sexual activity in a moving vehicle. This included both solo or partnered activity, regardless of whether the participant was in the driver’s seat or the passenger seat.

The sample was primarily heterosexual (87%) and white (82.7%), with an average age of nearly 21.

How Common Is Sex While Driving?

Nearly 3 in 10 students (29%) reported having had sex in a moving vehicle at least once, making this a relatively common behavior.

Among those who had done so, the vast majority (94%) were engaged in sexual activity with a partner (as opposed to solo play). Also, most encounters occurred within committed romantic relationships, rather than with strangers or casual acquaintances.

When it came to specific sexual behaviors, oral sex was the most commonly reported activity, followed by genital touching. Very few participants reported engaging in penetrative intercourse while the vehicle was moving, likely due to both logistical constraints and safety concerns.

The Orgasm Gap Persists, Even on the Road

Interestingly, familiar gender patterns in sexual pleasure showed up here as well. Among heterosexual participants, more than two-thirds of men reported reaching orgasm during sex in a moving vehicle, compared to fewer than one in five women. Even in high-novelty, risk-infused contexts, the well-documented orgasm gap persists.

This suggests that thrill and spontaneity don’t automatically equal mutual pleasure, and longstanding gender dynamics in sexual encounters remain relevant, even when the setting changes.

Why Do People Do It?

Participants described several motivations for sex in a moving vehicle. For some, it was actually a routine part of their relationship. In fact, some described keeping sex toys in the back seat to allow for spontaneous encounters.

However, others emphasized the excitement factor. The spontaneity, the sense of risk, and the possibility of being seen by others contributed to an adrenaline rush and heightened arousal. In other words, the very elements that make it risky are part of what makes it exciting for a lot of folks.

This fits with broader research showing that arousal can be intensified in contexts involving novelty, risk, or violating taboos.

The Safety Risks Are Real

Of course, the same features that make sex while driving feel thrilling also make it potentially dangerous. Among those who reported engaging in sexual activity in a moving vehicle, 75% experienced at least one negative traffic safety consequence. The most common included:

• Taking eyes off the road for more than two seconds

• Drifting into another lane

• Exceeding the speed limit

• Letting go of the steering wheel

Although no one in this study reported sustaining injuries from a crash, some participants reported actual collisions or narrowly avoided accidents.

A particularly novel finding involved smartphone use. Some participants reported texting others during the encounter, sometimes with people who were aware of the sexual activity, sometimes not. Others reported using their phone as a vibrator.

Most strikingly, however, watching pornography was the most commonly reported phone-related activity during sex in a moving vehicle. One participant even described masturbating while driving long distances as a way to stay awake.

Regardless of intent, this unambiguously represents a case of distracted driving. Watching porn while operating a vehicle compounds risk in obvious ways.

What Can We Take Away From This?

For many participants, sex in moving vehicles felt exciting precisely because it was spontaneous and risky. The adrenaline, novelty, and possibility of being caught amplified the experience. But the same factors that heighten arousal also pose a potential risk of danger.

This study reminds us that sexual behavior doesn’t occur in a vacuum. It unfolds within broader social, technological, and physical contexts that shape both pleasure and risk. And there are always trade-offs between them. A little bit of risk can amplify pleasure. But too much risk can induce anxiety and interfere with pleasure.

Cars are often eroticized in fantasy and film. And as this research shows, sex in the fast lane is more common (and more consequential) than you might assume.

To read the study in full, click here.

If you have a sex question of your own, record a voicemail at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology to have it answered on the blog or the podcast. 

Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for more from the blog or here to listen to the podcast. Follow Sex and Psychology on Facebook, Twitter (@JustinLehmiller), Bluesky, or Reddit to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram.

Image made in Canva.

References

[1] Struckman-Johnson, C., Anderson, P., & Smeaton, G. (2026). A new look at sexual behavior in moving vehicles reported by midwestern college students. The Journal of Sex Research, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2025.2606768