Car insurance company, Swinton, says it has recorded a rise in the figures relating to claims where motorists have named iPod-wearing pedestrians as the reason behind the accidents.

'Podestrians' as they are now known, have a tendency to recklessly step out into roads without looking out for oncoming vehicles. The insurer adds that this is mainly because their music is turned up too loud. Other pedestrians are known to invest in headphones that cancel out any surrounding background noise.

According to Swinton car insurance, a pedestrian stepping out unexpectedly into traffic is one of the common scenarios pointed out by drivers. The insurer says that this forces motorists to brake sharply causing the car to crash into the back of another car.

Swinton also says that the problem is not limited to iPod users because many ‘podestrians’ tap out text messages on their mobile phones at the same time they are listening to the music. This means that they are not aware of what is happening in their surrounding environment most of the time.

Steve Chelton, insurer development manager for Swinton said: "This isn’t so much of a problem at major junctions, where traffic lights and crossings give visual guidance for when it’s safe to cross, but on quieter roads ‘podestrians’ can lead to drivers having to suddenly slam on their brakes.