Latest news with #TrafficInjuryPrevention
Fox News
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
Teens and phone use while driving: Why this deadly habit persists
Phones have become a constant companion for today's teens, offering entertainment, connection and navigation at their fingertips. But when it comes to driving, this convenience can quickly turn dangerous. Recent research reveals an unsettling reality: Despite widespread awareness of the risks, teens and phone use while driving remains a persistent and deadly problem. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my As of 2025, distracted driving remains a major safety concern in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, taking your eyes off the road for just five seconds at 55 mph is like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. In recent years, distracted driving has contributed to over 3,200 deaths and hundreds of thousands of crashes annually in the U.S., averaging nearly 900 incidents every day. A new study led by Dr. Rebecca Robbins at Brigham and Women's Hospital, part of the Mass General Brigham system, and published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention, found that teens spend an average of 21% of every car trip looking at their phones. That's roughly one out of every five minutes behind the wheel. Even more alarming, more than a quarter of teens admitted to glancing at their phones for two seconds or longer at a time, long enough to dramatically increase the risk of a crash. You might assume teens are just checking directions, but the data tells a different story: This means that the urge to stay entertained or connected often outweighs safety concerns, even when teens are aware of the risks. Researchers used the Integrated Model of Behavioral Prediction to investigate what motivates teenagers to use their phones while driving. They found that many teens believe using their phones makes driving more enjoyable or helps them multitask. Social influence also plays a significant role; when friends or family members use their phones while driving, teens are more likely to adopt the same behavior. Additionally, many teens feel confident in their ability to manage both driving and phone use, which leads them to underestimate the real dangers involved. Reducing teen phone use behind the wheel requires a combination of practical strategies, open communication and positive role modeling. Here are some effective tips to help keep young drivers focused and safe: 1. Set "Do Not Disturb": Activate "Do Not Disturb" mode before driving to block notifications and reduce temptation. 2. Keep phones out of reach: Store your phone in the glove box or back seat so it's not easily accessible. 3. Talk about risks: Parents and schools should regularly discuss the dangers of distracted driving with teens. 4. Model safe behavior: Adults should avoid using phones while driving to set a positive example. 5. Use monitoring apps: Consider apps that block phone use or track driving habits for added accountability. 6. Know the law: Understand and follow your state's rules on phone use for young drivers. The alarming truth is that teens and phone use while driving isn't just about a lack of awareness; it's about competing motivations, social pressures, and a dangerous sense of confidence. As technology evolves, so must our strategies for keeping young drivers safe. If you knew that just one glance at your phone could change your life or someone else's forever, would you still take the risk? Let us know by writing to us at Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Newsweek
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Teens Spend a Frightening Amount of Time on Phones While Driving
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new study from Mass General Brigham has exposed the frightening phone habits of teen drivers. According to the researchers, many teens spend an average of 21% of their driving time looking at their phones. Meanwhile, 70% of students reported taking long glances at their phones while driving. Researchers surveyed more than 1,100 high school drivers across the United States and conducted in-depth interviews to understand the social norms and beliefs fueling this high-risk behavior. The findings, published in Traffic Injury Prevention, come as road safety experts continue to warn about the dangers of distracted driving, particularly among young drivers who face a higher crash risk due to inexperience. The study's authors say the results can help shape targeted interventions aimed at reducing phone-related distractions on the road. Why It Matters Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of crashes among young drivers. Long glances at a phone significantly increase the likelihood of an accident. The Mass General Brigham study found that teens not only acknowledge the risks, but also perceive distracted driving as a common behavior among peers. Stock image: Driver using a phone in a car. Stock image: Driver using a phone in a car. Photo by photolab / Getty Images "Driving distracted doesn't just put the driver at risk of injury or death; it puts everyone else on the road in danger of an accident," Rebecca Robbins, MSc, PhD, lead author and researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said in a statement. In an email to Newsweek, Robbins said the study, "revealed beliefs young people hold," such as the dangerous belief that using a phone while driving allows one to be 'entertained' while driving. "Young people admitted that some of the activities they did on their phones while driving included checking Instagram, Snapchat, or reading/sending text messages," Robbins told Newsweek. What To Know The study revealed that 21% of teen drivers' time on the road is spent glancing at their phones, with 26% of those glances lasting two seconds or longer. Many teens cited navigation, entertainment and texting as reasons for checking their devices while driving. According to the researchers, 65% of respondents said "entertainment" was their reason for distracted driving, while 40% said "texting". Researchers used the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction framework to explore how social norms, perceived behavioral control and beliefs about the outcomes of distracted driving influence behavior. Teens recognized the usefulness of navigation apps, but simultaneously acknowledged the risk of accidents associated with taking their eyes off the road. What People Are Saying Robbins told Newsweek that distracted driving endangers young people, but also the traveling public around them. "We evaluated beliefs and behaviors relating to distracted driving among young people in a geographically representative sample in the US," she added. What's Next Robbins said future research on how to reduce distracted driving is "urgently needed," especially among young people. "Our work identified beliefs that could be targeted in campaigns," she said. "For instance, some young people shared strategies, such as turning on 'do not disturb' mode, or putting their phone in the back seat, that are useful for reducing the temptation to use a phone while driving. "Moreover, our research revealed that those young people in our study that endorsed self-efficacy beliefs that they were able to practice these safe driving behaviors (e.g., use of 'do not disturb' mode while driving) were less likely to drive distracted. "Therefore, future message-based interventions might consider promoting awareness about these safe driving practices among young people."
Forbes
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Teens Use Cell Phones While Driving 21% Of The Time
Teenage drivers have admitted to looking at their cell phones one-fifth of the time when they're behind the wheel, most commonly to be entertained, text or follow a map, a new study published in the Traffic Injury Prevention journal shows. A driver uses a phone while behind the wheel of a car. Getty Images A survey of more than 1,100 teens from across the country saw participants admit to spending an average of 21% of each trip using their phones while driving. Of those instances, more than a quarter lasted two seconds or longer, participants reported, which significantly increases the risk of a crash or near crash, according to a 2014 study. Teens said driving distracted allows them to be entertained or productive while on the road, and that they're more likely to use their phones behind the wheel when they haven't gotten enough sleep. Most participants said they understand that distracted driving is dangerous and that their parents would rather they not, but they said their friends are also using their phones behind the wheel. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here : 235. That's how many people were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers between the ages of 15 and 19 in 2022, according to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Teen Driver Source. Distracted driving was blamed for the deaths of 3,275 people in 2023—about 9 deaths per day on average—according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. All but one state, Montana, has legally banned texting while behind the wheel for all drivers and, as of December, 35 states have illegalized all types of phone use among young drivers. Despite the restrictions, one 2023 poll found that while 97% of teen drivers agree texting and driving is dangerous, 43% admitted to doing it anyway. Further Reading Forbes Teens Teaming With Teens To Create A Better World By Kate Vitasek Forbes American Teens Experience Enormous Pressures Related To Mental Health, New Study Finds By Omer Awan
CNET
03-07-2025
- Health
- CNET
Scary Survey Results: Teen Drivers Are Often Looking at Their Phones
A new study reveals that teen drivers in the US are spending more than one-fifth of their driving time distracted by their phones, with many glances lasting long enough to significantly raise the risk of a crash. Published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention and released on Thursday, the research found that, on average, teens reported looking at their phones during 21.1% of every driving trip. More than a quarter of those distractions lasted two seconds or longer, which is an amount of time widely recognized as dangerous at highway speeds. Most distractions tied to entertainment, not emergencies The top reason teens said they reached for their phones behind the wheel was for entertainment, cited by 65% of respondents. Texting (40%) and navigation (30%) were also common. Researchers emphasized that these distractions weren't typically urgent, but rather habitual or social. Teens know the risks The study includes survey responses from 1,126 teen drivers across all four US regions, along with in-depth interviews with a smaller group of high schoolers. Most participants recognized that distracted driving is unsafe and believed their parents and peers disapproved of the behavior. But many teens also assumed that their friends were doing it anyway, pointing to a disconnect between personal values and perceived social norms. Teens think they can resist distractions Interestingly, most teens expressed confidence in their ability to resist distractions. That belief, researchers suggest, could make it harder to change behavior unless future safety campaigns specifically target these attitudes. The study's lead author, Dr. Rebecca Robbins of Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, said interventions should aim to shift social norms while also emphasizing practical steps, such as enabling "Do Not Disturb" mode and physically separating drivers from their devices. "Distracted driving is a serious public health threat and particularly concerning among young drivers," Robbins said. "Driving distracted doesn't just put the driver at risk of injury or death, it puts everyone else on the road in danger of an accident." What this means for parents and educators The researchers say their findings can help guide educators and parents in developing more persuasive messaging about the dangers of distracted driving. One of the recommendations is that adults need to counter teens' beliefs that phone use while driving is productive or harmless. While the study's qualitative component was limited by a small and non-urban sample, the authors believe the 38-question survey they developed can be used more broadly to assess beliefs, behaviors and the effectiveness of future safety efforts.
