More than a third of young drivers reported recently using a smartphone while driving, with about half reporting  regularly texting while behind the wheel, despite being aware of the risks, new research has revealed.

The study, conducted by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation USA (TIRF USA) on behalf of the National Distracted Driving Coalition (NDDC) involved an anonymous survey of more than 1,200 young drivers.

“Teens aged 16 to 19 have a higher crash risk than any other age group of drivers,” said Robyn Robertson, NDDC Chair and Secretary of the Board at TIRF USA.

“Inexperience can lead teens to overestimate their driving abilities and think nothing bad could happen. Unfortunately, this isn’t the reality and in fact, road crashes are a leading cause of death for young people.

“With this study, we wanted to understand the types of risks teens are taking, specific knowledge gaps, and which strategies are most effective for changing behavior.”

Researchers surveyed young drivers aged 14-20 in 25 states and Washington, DC, about their driving habits and perceptions of risk associated with different behaviors.

About two-thirds of respondents had not interacted with their device while driving over the last 30 days. But among those who had:

  • About half reported texting while driving at least a few days per week, and one-quarter reported doing so every day.
  • About a third of those interacting with their device said they accessed social media while driving at least a few times per week.
  • About a third reported regularly using navigation functionality.
  • 23% said they regularly watched video content while driving.

About half of respondents said their parents  were the top influencer on their driving behaviour, with friends as a distant second. But also reported that their parents used devices at least sometimes while driving.

“Our future drivers begin watching from a young age,” said Karen Bowman, founder of TIRF’s Drop It And Drive program.

“When it comes to setting the right example, our children are sponges. Relying on the do as I say, not as I do philosophy is an inherent contradiction and they’re savvy enough to know it.”