Texting While Driving Still Common, Says New Study

May 2009

A new study has found that 25 percent of U.S. cell phone users admit to texting while driving, despite laws in several states that ban the practice. In fact, the report says that some of the most widespread texting while driving occurs in states where it is banned or where legislation is pending.

According to the report, Tennessee drivers were the most frequent texters, with 42 percent of those surveyed admitting to the habit. A texting ban goes into effect in Tennessee in July. Despite the popularity of texting while driving among motorists, 83 percent of those surveyed said they thought the practice should be illegal.

Text messaging has been linked to several recent accidents, including a train crash in the Los Angeles area last September that killed 25 people. Earlier this month, a Boston trolley crash injured almost 50 people. In both instances, the drivers were found to have been sending and receiving text messages seconds before the crash.