Friday, Jun 08,2012
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While numerous awareness campaigns have highlighted the dangers of texting while driving, a recent survey finds that the practice is still relatively common among many teens.
Data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week found that a third of high school students had texted or emailed while driving during the past month alone, creating an elevated risk of an accident and higher auto insurance rates.
"These findings also show that despite improvements, there is a continued need for government agencies, community organizations, schools, parents, and other community members to work together to address the range of risk behaviors prevalent among our youth," said Dr. Howell Wechsler, director of the CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health.
However, the survey did find progress in some driving behaviors. Only 8 percent of respondents said they rarely or never wore their seat belt. That is down significantly from 26 percent in 1991.
Distracted driving remains a significant safety risk. The Department of Transportation says 18 percent of all injury crashes in 2010 were related to distracted drivers.
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