Teen Drivers Spend 20% of Their Driving Time Looking at Phones Study

GATEOFWISE.COM/18 SEPT

A new study has revealed that teenagers who drive spend about 20% of their driving time looking at their phones, a behavior that can have serious consequences, including accidents.

The research was conducted in collaboration with German researchers and several universities in the United States.

It involved 20 high school students and about 1,100 drivers across the U.S., with the aim of identifying the reasons why teenage drivers often engage in unsafe driving practices.

Findings showed that young drivers spend an average of 21.1% of their travel time on their phones, and 26.5% of the time their eyes are off the road for at least two seconds. Even such a short lapse significantly increases the likelihood of an accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), looking away from the road for just five seconds while driving at 55 mph (88 km/h) is equivalent to driving the length of a football field with closed eyes.

In 2019, statistics indicated that fatal crashes caused by traffic violations were more common among youth aged 15 to 20 compared to drivers aged 21 and above, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Dr. Rebecca Robbins of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, who led the study, emphasized that distracted driving endangers not only the driver but everyone else on the road.

“Unsafe driving does not only put the driver’s life at risk but also poses serious danger to all other road users,” she said.

She added that the findings provide insights into how teens think about safe driving, which could help in developing preventive measures.

Every year in the U.S., more than 3,000 people die in crashes linked to distracted driving, and nine people lose their lives every day due to this problem.

A recent AAA study showed that 58% of crashes involving young drivers are caused by failing to pay attention to the road, often due to distractions unrelated to driving.

The most common reasons cited by teens for unsafe driving include being absorbed in entertainment, texting, and other distractions.

Across the U.S., more than 35 states have banned phone use by young drivers. Dr. Robbins advises using features like “Do Not Disturb” or keeping the phone out of reach while driving as effective ways to reduce risky behavior.