Parents pass down their risky driving habits to their children and are partly to blame for the increasing trend of distracted driving, according to a new report published by EverQuote.
The 2017 Family Safe Driving Report surveyed drivers aged 14-18 and parents of teen drivers to compare distracted driving behavior and sentiment among parents and teens. The results reveal that teens and parents agree texting is the biggest distraction to teen drivers.
“While parents and teens disagree about what’s more worrisome and dangerous – driving distracted versus driving drunk – they do agree that texting or cell phone use is the biggest distraction to teen drivers,” stated EverQuote. “Nearly three out of four parents (73 percent) believe that texting or cell phone use poses the biggest distraction for their teen driver, and more than half (55 percent) of all teens admit that cell phone is the biggest driving distraction they personally face.”
Three in four parents admit they worry more about their teen driving distracted than driving drunk, but less than one in four teens believe that driving distracted is more dangerous than driving drunk. This is despite the fact that almost one in three teens admitted they have or know someone who has lost a friend or loved one due to distracted driving.
Nearly one in four teens said they don’t believe their parents’ driving habits set a good example for them to follow. This is perhaps not surprising, considering that more parents than teens admit to phone use while driving. While 63% of parents admit to checking a mobile device, texting or talking on a phone while driving, just 30% of teens admit to doing so.
