Adult Drivers Text More Than Teens While On The Road

Adults are supposed to be good role models for their teens. However, these statistics seem to point to adults demonstrated bad behaviors. In the latest survey conducted by AT&T, it was revealed that almost half of all American adults admit to texting while driving, compared with 43% of teenagers. The admission gets worse as more than 98% of them confess that they know it’s absolutely wrong. In the last three years, the number of adults who text while driving has gone up. There are about 180 million adult drivers and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31% of drivers in the USA text or e-mail while on the road.

Related: Cell Phone Use In Fatal Car Crashes Underreported

Statistics

• An average of nine people are killed and more than 1,060 injured in crashes caused by distracted driving.
• In 2011, 3,331 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver.
• Texting creates a crash 23 times worse than driving while not distracted.

The law
KRS 189.290 states:

(1) The operator of any vehicle upon a highway shall operate the vehicle in a careful manner, with regard for the safety and convenience of pedestrians and other vehicles upon the highway.

(2)  No person shall willfully operate any vehicle on any highway in such a manner as to injure the highway

Statistics
Every driver is obliged to drive carefully. It’s the law. In fact, three in four Kentuckians talk while driving. Around 16% of adults talk on their phone every time or almost every time they drive. On the other side of the coin, the majority of Kentucky adults do not text while driving. Over eight in 10 Kentucky adults, or 82%, reported that they never use their cell phones to text or e-mail while on the road. Only 2% of Kentucky adults text or e-mail every time or almost every time their drive.

Related: Reminding Teen Drivers To Not Use Cell Phones While Driving

Using your cell phone while driving increases the chance of a crash by 400%! At the same time, you are not just putting your own life at risk, but you are also endangering the lives of your passengers and other people on the road. It is better to enable voicemail to respond and make a return call or send a text message when it is more convenient and safe. I encourage all drivers, especially adults, to drive responsibly, stay focused and be good role models for teen drivers. There is a time and place for everything, but texting while driving is absolutely not one of them. In case you or your loved ones got hurt in an accident because of a distracted driver, make sure to speak with a Kentucky attorney to know your legal options.