Drivers Not Walking the Talk on Distracted Driving

Eight in 10 drivers say that it’s never safe to text, e-mail or use a smartphone while driving, according to a recent survey. Yet 50 percent of those same drivers reported making calls on their phones and 15 percent of drivers admit to sending and reading text messages while driving.

These are the findings from the GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test, which polled 5,130 licensed drivers ages 16-65, from 50 states and the District of Columbia. The test, which was administered online by TNS, a custom research agency, also revealed the safest states in which to drive. National data was weighted to percentage of state population, age, gender and ethnicity.

Younger drivers, considered among the highest risk groups by property/casualty insurers, seem to be getting the message that distracted driving is unsafe, with almost three quarters of 16 to 17 year olds saying that they've completely stopped the use of mobile devices while driving. In addition, most drivers between the ages of 60 and 65 have completely stopped using mobile devices.

“The National Drivers Test results, unveiling America's smart phone usage on the road, suggest that the 34 state-wide ban on texting while driving is having a positive influence on drivers," Stan Parker, VP of marketing, GMAC Insurance, said in a statement. "We hope that by calling attention to distracted driving habits this dangerous activity will be practiced less and less and that drivers will continue to place their attention on the roads to stay safe."

The number of younger drivers choosing responsible driving may increase, as pop stars such as two-time Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Justin Bieber takes his message forward on the dangers of texting while driving.

In partnership with PhoneGuard Inc., Bieber launched a campaign dedicated to encouraging responsible texting, through the use of PhoneGuard's acclaimed Drive Safe software application, which disables the texting, e-mailing and keyboard functions of a mobile phone while in a vehicle moving faster than 10 miles per hour. Justin and PhoneGuard are working closely with the Remember Alex Brown Foundation, organized by the family of teenager Alex Brown, a teenager who lost her life because of texting and driving.