A survey conducted by an insurance and financial services group has shown that the majority of U.S. drivers do everything ranging from eating and reading to writing grocery lists and nursing babies when behind the wheel. Thirty-one percent of respondents admitted to day dreaming, and 14 percent of the surveyed drivers said they took advantage of time spent driving to discipline their children.

The survey, conducted by Nationwide Mutual Insurance on more than 1,200 American drivers, showed that the majority of American drivers do all sorts of outlandish things while driving - including changing clothes, balancing a checkbook and even shaving.

While 73 percent talk on cell phones, 68 percent admitted having their meals and a small but significant 5 percent said they check their e-mail while driving.

Moreover, the survey revealed that a large number of drivers have a dangerous snoozing tendency. Nearly 70 percent of the respondents reported driving while less than alert, and a whopping 81 percent said they roll their vehicle's windows down to keep themselves awake. Seventy-nine percent play loud music and 69 percent drink anything with caffeine to keep themselves conscious.

Bill Windsor, the associate vice president of safety at Nationwide, noted that the time constraints most Americans face have forced them to become multitaskers. However, he pointed out that time is no excuse to lose focus while driving.

"Driving requires significant attention. Multitasking while behind the wheel poses a threat to you and your fellow drivers," Business Wire quotes Windsor as saying.

He said the worst part is that most drivers don't think that their multitasking has affected their driving.

Eighty-three percent of those polled perceive themselves as safe drivers and 59 percent don't consider themselves distracted drivers.

"Even though we have ever-increasing demands on our time and more technology, we need to make an effort, when behind the wheel, to focus on driving," Windsor said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says distracted drivers account for almost 80 percent of all crashes in the U.S.