Survey: People talking, texting less while driving

Chicago Tribune

U.S. drivers say they are talking and texting less while driving then they did a year ago as they become more aware of the risks, according to a new survey.

Four out of 10 drivers who admit to texting behind the wheel say they do it less often than they did last year, according to the annual "Driving While Distracted" survey from Nationwide Insurance.

The survey found that 20 percent of drivers with cell phones say they text while driving. Among drivers under age 35, that number jumps to 47 percent.

"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, associate vice president of consumer safety at Columbus, Ohio-based Nationwide. "The stigma now associated with distracted driving may also have fewer people willing to admit they do it."

Meanwhile, 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.

The results are based on a telephone survey of 1,005 U.S. adults conducted by Harris Interactive from April 20 to April 27.

Nationwide's first "Driving While Distracted" survey was conducted in 2007. It found that 73 percent of drivers said they talked on a cell phone while driving, and 19 percent admitted to texting while driving.

Studies indicate that distracted driving causes one out of every four U.S. crashes, the insurance firm said.

2010, The Morning Call