Texting while driving is still a major problem in the US despite numerous public service announcements and campaigns advising motorists of the dangers associated with the practice. According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three US drivers read or send text or e-mail messages while driving.
The study looked at drivers aged 18 to 64 in the US and seven European countries: Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom. Unsurprisingly, mobile device use while driving was more common in America than in all of the aforementioned European countries.
The CDC said 69 percent of US drivers talked on their cell phone while driving within the 30 days prior to completing the survey compared to just 21 percent of drivers from the UK. Furthermore, 31 percent of Americans admitted to sending or reading text or e-mail messages while behind the wheel compared to just 15 percent of respondents in Spain.
Researchers found there was no significant difference between men and women with regards to cell phone interaction while driving. The study showed that people ages 25 to 44 were more likely to talk on the phone while driving than those ages 55 to 64 and drivers between the age of 18 and 34 were more likely to send or receive text or e-mail messages than people between the ages of 45 and 64.
It goes without saying that if you have to use your phone while driving, do everyone a favor and pull off the road before doing so.