Survey: Teens drive while distracted

In the “No sh*t, Sherlock” category, a new survey from Seventeen magazine and the American Automobile Association said the majority of teens have driven while being distracted in some form.

The survey said 81% of teens admitted to driving while being distracted by things like talking on the phone, sending a text, fiddling with the radio to hear that latest Katy Perry song (you know which one I’m talking about) or other naughtiness. I’d love to admit that I’ve never done this but I’ve pounded many a hamburger while driving. The problem with teens doing this is that they don’t have the experience to cope with the distractions and safely drive, the survey intimated.

“Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teen drivers and the proliferation of distracted driving among teens is a challenge all of us must face head-on,” AAA President and CEO Robert Darbelnet said in a prepared statement. “Because of their lack of driving experience and penchant to take risks, it’s imperative that teen drivers–like all drivers–remain focused behind the wheel at all times.”

This problem has existed since cars were around but some could argue that cell phones and smartphones are exacerbating the problem because of the added capabilities. Among those surveyed, 60% admitted to talking on the phone while driving even though many states have laws forbidding this.

Texting while driving appears to be the next big distraction for teen drivers, as the survey found that teen drivers send about 23 messages over the last month. Legislators around the country are now targeting texting while driving but this can be incredibly difficult to enforce because it only takes a few seconds to bang out a quick message.

Fortunately, there are private companies stepping up to the plate. TextArrest is just one company that’s producing software which will enable parents to disable texting while their teen is driving.

[Via CNET, photo]