Survey: US Drivers Talking and Texting Less While Driving
Texting while driving is a dangerous habit and results from a survey shows that those behind the wheel are starting to realize it.
U.S. drivers say they are talking and texting less while driving than they did a year ago and they say it’s because they are more aware of the dangers of driving while distracted (DWD).
A Nationwide Insurance DWD survey released this week shows that 20 percent of drivers with cell phones say they text while driving and that number jumps to 47 percent for drivers under the age of 35. Of those who admit to texting behind the wheel, 40 percent say they do it less often than they did last year.
“This is the first survey we’ve seen showing drivers making positive changes in their behavior, but there are still too many drivers who either don’t realize just how dangerous distractions behind the wheel are, or are willing to take that risk”
According to the telephone survey of 1,005 U.S. adults conducted by Harris Interactive, 67 percent of drivers admit to talking on their cell phone while driving. Of those who do, 30 percent say they do it less often than they did last year.
While the problem of DWD remains one of the deadliest risks facing drivers, this survey shows that drivers are changing their behavior due to awareness and legislation.
“This is the first survey we’ve seen showing drivers making positive changes in their behavior, but there are still too many drivers who either don’t realize just how dangerous distractions behind the wheel are, or are willing to take that risk,” said Bill Windsor, Nationwide’s associate vice president of Consumer Safety. “The stigma now associated with distracted driving may also have fewer people willing to admit they do it, but studies continue to indicate that DWD causes one out of every four U.S. crashes.”
While drivers report they are talking and texting less frequently, the percentage of people who say they do it hasn’t changed. Nationwide’s first DWD survey (conducted in 2007 by MarketVision using different methodology) showed 73 percent of drivers said they talked on a cell phone while driving and 19 percent admitted to texting while driving.
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