Parents Underestimate Teen Texting and Driving
According to a recent study, only 1 percent of parents believe their teenage drivers are texting and driving even though 26 percent of teens admit to doing so at least once every time they drive.
The study, conducted by Toyota and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, surveyed over 5,500 teenagers 16 to 18 years of age and parents. It also suggests that parents influence their children’s distracted driving habits heavily.
SEE ALSO: Teens Recognize Dangers of Texting and Driving and Do It Anyway
That’s probably got a lot to do with how 61 percent of parents reported that they use their cellphones while driving, as do 54 percent of teenagers. But even more startling is that 20 percent of teens admitted to multi-message text conversations while behind the wheel.
“Seat belts and good defensive driving skills are critical,” said Tina Sayer, principal engineer at the Collaborative Safety Research Center. “Be the driver you want your teen to be.”
[Source: Detroit News]
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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