Study finds teen drivers spend 21% of their time on phones while driving
The research, conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, involved survey responses from 1,126 teen drivers across all four regions of the U.S., along with in-depth interviews with a smaller group of high schoolers. The findings paint a worrying picture of how frequently smartphones are used while driving, even when young drivers are aware of the risks.
What's particularly alarming is that more than 5% of the total driving time involved glances at phones lasting two seconds or longer, enough to qualify as dangerous, especially at high speeds. Despite being aware that distracted driving is unsafe, most participants admitted to using their phones regularly while driving.
'Distracted driving is a serious public health threat and particularly concerning among young drivers,' said Dr. Rebecca Robbins, the study's lead author. '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.'
Although 30% of phone usage was attributed to navigation, teens were more likely to use their phones for messaging (40%) and entertainment apps (65%). The study notes that while teens understand the dangers, the behaviour has become normalised due to peer influence. 'Many teens acknowledged that while their parents and peers disapproved of using phones while driving, they often did it because their friends did the same,' the researchers wrote.
To address this growing concern, the study suggests that interventions must focus not just on education, but also on shifting social norms and promoting practical steps. Dr. Robbins emphasised the need to 'enable safety features like 'Do Not Disturb While Driving' and physically separate drivers from their phones.'
Apple introduced the 'Do Not Disturb While Driving' feature in iOS 11, and a separate study by an insurance company found that 70% of iPhone users have enabled it. However, compliance among teens appears to be low, according to this latest report.
The issue isn't confined to the U.S. In India, a 2018 study by the India Road Safety Collaboration (IRSC), an initiative led by IIT students in partnership with Ford, found that 25% of parents admitted to using mobile phones while driving with their children in the car. Although phone use while driving is legally prohibited in India, enforcement remains inconsistent, and violations are widespread, according to traffic authorities.
The study comes amid growing debate over road safety laws in the U.S. While some states have imposed stricter rules around mobile phone use while driving, others still allow it under certain conditions. Critics argue that licensing requirements in the U.S. are too lenient, especially for young drivers, and call for stronger enforcement and better training.
Parents of teen drivers are being urged to take a more active role in talking to their children about distracted driving and to make use of available technology to minimise risks.
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