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According to the centers' 2011 youth risk behavior survey of 15,000 high school students one in three high school students reported they had texted or emailed while driving during the previous 30
days.
Distracted drivers are compromising their own and other peoples' safety behind the wheel. Nearly 15 people die each day in the United States in crashes that involve distracted driving, and another 1,200 people are
injured.
Distracted driving involves driving while doing another activity that takes your attention away from driving. Distracted driving activities include things like us ing a cell phone, texting, eating, drinking, and talking with passengers. Using in-vehicle technologies (such as navigation systems) and portable communication devices can also be sources of distraction while driving. Texting while driving is especially dangerous because it combines visual, manual and cognitive distractions. Driving while distracted is serious and life-threatening, not just to you and your passengers, but also to others on the road.
In 2009, more than 5,400 people were killed and an additional 448,000 were injured in crashes that were reported to involve driving while distrated.
Among those killed or injured in these crashes, nearly 1,000 deaths and 24,000 injuries included cell phone use as the major
distraction.
A recent CDC analysis examined the frequency of cell phone use and texting while driving in the United States and several countries within
Europe.
Talking on cell
phone
United
States
Overall, 25% of drivers in the United States reported that they talk on their cell phone "regularly" or "fairly often" while
driving.
Younger age groups had higher use, with nearly 40% of those ages 18 to 29 reporting that they talk on their cell phone "regularly" or "fairly often" while
driving.
Older drivers were less likely to report cell phone use while driving; only 8% of those aged 60 or older reported talking on cell phones "regularly" or "fairly often" while
driving.
Europe
The percentage of European drivers who reported using the cell phone "regularly" or "fairly often" while driving ranged from 21% in the Netherlands to 3% in the United
Kingdom.
Texting
United States
Overall, 9% of drivers in the United States reported that they "regularly" or "fairly often" text or e-mail while
driving.
More than a quarter of 18 to 29 year-olds reported texting or e-mailing "regularly" or "fairly often" while
driving.
Only 3% of drivers aged 60 or older reported ever having texted or e-mailed while
driving.
Europe
Overall, the percentage of drivers who reported texting or e-mailing "regularly" or "fairly often" while driving ranged from 10% in the Netherlands to 1% in the United
Kingdom.
The percentage of drivers who text or e-mail while driving was higher among drivers aged 18 to 29 than other age groups—from 13% in Portugal to only 3% in the United
Kingdom.
For more information
Distracted Driving in the United States and Europe
http://www.cdc.gov
(MDN)
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