In a poll released by Consumer Reports on Monday, 63 percent of respondents under age thirty said they used a handheld device while driving in the last 30 days. 30 percent of drivers in this age group also admitted to texting while driving during this 30 day period.
Drivers also reported that they find distracted driving on the road frequently. 64 percent of respondents said they had seen another driver texting on the road and 94 percent said they saw another driver making a phone call in the last thirty days.
The study also found that young adults are not only more likely to practice distracted driving, but are also less likely to see cell phone use as risky on the road.
Of these poll participants under 30, only 36 percent said they were “very concerned” about the dangers of distracted driving and only 30 percent felt it was dangerous to use a handheld phone while driving.
The findings are a compilation of 1,026 responses collected in November 2010.
As a result of the poll, Consumer Reportsand the U.S. Department of Transportation (D.O.T.) are collaborating on a new campaign to educate teen drivers and their parents on the potential hazards of distracted driving. At a press conference at the Department of Transportation headquarters in Washington, D.C., the two organizations released a free informational guide called “Distracted Driving Shatters Lives.” In addition to distributing brochures through schools and volunteer groups, the D.O.T and Consumer Reports plan to broadcast a public service announcement like the one below on television stations across the country.
“Distracted driving has become a deadly epidemic on America’s roads,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in a statement. “Teens are especially vulnerable because of their inexperience behind the wheel and often, peer pressure.”
Approximately 5,500 deaths and nearly half a million injuries resulted from distracted driving accidents in the U.S. in 2009, according to the D.O.T. Of the fatal accidents, eighteen percent were linked to cell phone use.
“It only takes a moment of distraction to cause a tragedy,” said Jim Guest, the CEO of Consumer Reports. “No text or call is worth a life.”
