It is no secret\u00a0that using a phone while driving is one of the major distractions behind the wheel, but plenty of motorists are still using their devices when they’re operating vehicles, according to a recent survey from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Even though the majority of those surveyed said they think other drivers using phones threaten their own safety, 69 percent of these same individuals admitted to using their phones while driving in the past month.<\/p>\n
“Ninety percent of respondents believe that distracted driving is a somewhat or much bigger problem today than it was three years ago, yet they themselves continue to engage in the same activities,” said Peter Kissinger, president and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “More work clearly is needed to educate motorists on the risks associated with using a cell phone while driving, especially given that most Americans believe this problem is getting worse.”<\/p>\n
What’s worse is these same individuals are also more likely to do other dangerous things in their cars, including speeding (65 percent), texting (53 percent), driving while drowsy (44 percent) and not wearing a seatbelt (29 percent). On the other hand, drivers who abstained from using their phones behind the wheel were far less likely to engage in other risky behaviors. Only 31 percent said they had speeded in the past month, 16 percent didn’t wear seatbelts, 14 percent drove while drowsy and a mere 3 percent said they sent a text while driving.<\/p>\n