By Joan Lowy
Chicago Sun-Times
WASHINGTON — For all the criticism and new legal bans, texting by drivers just keeps increasing, especially among younger motorists.
A national survey, the first government study of its kind on distracted driving, found:
Nearly 2 out of every 10 drivers and half of drivers ages 21 to 24 say they are texting behind the wheel
When asked how they think their driving is different when talking on the phone or sending messages, about half of drivers said talking on a handheld device and one-quarter said texting or sending messages makes no difference in their driving performance.
Men and women are equally likely to make or accept phone calls, read incoming e-mail or text messages and send messages while driving.
Drivers younger than 25 are two to three times more likely than older drivers to read or send text messages or e-mails.
There were very few situations when drivers would never talk on the phone or never send texts or emails while driving. Bad weather was the primary driving situation cited by half the drivers, and a quarter said bumper-to-bumper or fast-moving traffic would influence their decision not to place calls or send messages,
The majority of drivers, 66 percent, indicated their most common action when receiving calls while driving is to answer and keep driving.
Drivers under 25 are two to four times more likely than older drivers to avoid talking while driving when they see a police officer, but older drivers are five times more likely to avoid talking while driving when merging with traffic.
A higher share of women than men said they would never send texts while moving, 12 percent compared to 5 percent.
By large majorities, drivers support bans on handheld cell phone use and texting while driving, 71 percent and 94 percent respectively.
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