Texting and Driving Study

According to one survey by the Pew Research Center, adults are just as likely as teens to have texted while driving and are substantially more likely to have talked on the phone while driving. Beyond driving, some cell-toting pedestrians get so distracted while talking or texting that they have physically bumped into another person or an object.

Other key findings include:

-       Nearly half of all texting adults say they have sent or read a text message while driving.

-       Looking at the general population, this means that roughly a quarter of all American adults say they have sent or read text messages while driving.

-       Three in four cell-owning adults say they have talked on a cell phone while driving.

-       Among all adults, that translates into roughly two thirds who have talked on a cell phone while driving.

-       Half of all adults say they have been in a car when the driver was sending or reading text messages on their cell phone. 

-       Nearly half of all adults say they have been in a car when the driver used the cell phone in a way that put themselves or others in danger. 

-       Beyond driving, one in six cell-owning adults say they have physically bumped into another person or an object because they were distracted by using their phone. 

Madden, M., & Rainie, L. (2010). Adults and cell phone distractions. Washington, D.C.: Pew Research Center.

http://www.pewinternet.org/files/old-media/Files/Reports/2010/PIP_Cell_Distractions.pdf