Cell phones have universal appeal for a multitude of reasons, including staying in closecontact with family, friends, coworkers or clients. With the advent of smart phones, having
access to information, news, messaging, and games on handheld devices further encourages their use.
A new Pew Internet survey reports that 27% of American adults (those age 18 and
older) say they have texted while driving. These findings come from a nationwide phone
survey of 2,252 American adults conducted between April 29 - May 30, 2010.
People ages 18-33 are the most likely age group to report texting while driving, and 59% report having sent or read messages while behind the wheel. Fifty percent of people ages 34-45 report having sent or read messages while behind the wheel, while 29% of people ages 46-64 report doing so.
"The temptation to stay connected and multitask in what is otherwise seen as idle time is very strong," said Mary Madden, a senior research specialist at the Pew Research Center and an author of the new study. "However, one point that is often overlooked in discussions of this issue is that it's about more than just keeping your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. When you're in conversation with someone outside the car — whether texting or talking — it reduces your situational awareness which is so essential to having a quick reaction time to hazards on the road."
Read a short article about the study.
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