We’re still in the midst of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and agencies across the country are doing what they can to spread the word about the threat posed when a driver uses his or her cellphone or engages in some other distracting behavior. Over the weekend, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a report that highlighted just how prevalent distraction is on the roads.
The results are somewhat shocking. At any given moment during the day, 660,000 people are using their cellphones or some such mobile device while at the wheel of an automobile. 48% of respondents to the NHTSA survey admitted to at times picking up their cellphone to accept a call while driving. After answering, 58% of respondents kept on driving.
14% of people admitting to texting. This is despite the fact that a large percentage of people are cognizant of the danger presented. More than three quarters of participants explained that they would pipe up if a driver insisted on texting while at the wheel. Most people said they were in favor of measures that outlaw cellphone usage and texting.
What’s also somewhat disappointing is the fact that these distracting habits have apparently become more prevalent. Previously, only 40% of respondents admitted to taking and dialing phone calls at the wheel, and admitted texters only accounted for 10% of respondents.