A survey by AAA and Seventeen magazine turned up some startling results on teen drivers. Of those surveyed, almost 90 percent admitted to partaking in distracted driving, including texting, talking on the phone and eating while driving. The teen drivers admitted this despite, 84 percent of them knowing that this is a dangerous practice.
Of those surveyed, 73 percent have adjusted their radio/CD/MP3 player, 61 percent have eaten food, and 60 percent have talked on a cell phone while driving. The reasons teen drivers think it’s fine to engage in these distractions are varied: 41 percent think their action will only take a split second; 35 percent don’t think they’ll get hurt; 34 percent said they’re used to multitasking; and 32 percent don’t think that anything bad will happen to them.
“It’s great that so many teens are able to identify the bad driving habits that will put them and their friends in danger. But the bigger challenge we face now is to give them the tools they need to stop driving while distracted,” says Ann Shoket, editor in chief of Seventeen magazine. “It’s our responsibility to keep our 13 million readers out of harm’s way.”
This is a dangerous trend that needs to be addressed. “Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teen drivers and the proliferation of distracted driving among teens is a challenge all of us must face head-on,” said AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet. “Because of their lack of driving experience and penchant to take risks, it’s imperative that teen drivers – like all drivers – remain focused behind the wheel at all times. AAA is pleased to partner with Seventeen to spread the anti-distracted driving message and help keep teen drivers safe.”
Obviously I believe the key is to continue to preach to teens (and drivers of all ages), to put down their phones, soda bottles and snacks and focus on the road. As AAA points out in their studies, it only takes 2 seconds of looking away to cause a car crash .
If you or someone you know has been involved in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident , then call Chicago accident attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the law firm website at www.BLGCHICAGO.com