Teens represented the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of a fatal crash and 57 percent of those killed were the teen drivers themselves.
Those are among the findings of a new report released earlier this week by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a nonprofit organization representing state highway safety offices.
"Teens have the highest crash risk of any age group, and research confirms that distraction is often a factor," Jonathan Adkins, the group’s executive director, said in a statement. And the risk of being involved in a fatal distracted driving crash remains high throughout a driver’s twenties.
The report, “Distracted & Dangerous: Helping States Keep Teens Focused on the Road,” which the group said was based on federal data from 2012, the most recent available, highlights promising programs and policies designed to help teen drivers recognize deadly distractions and encourage them to be fully engaged when driving and off their smartphones.
An unexpected research finding indicated that the youngest and most inexperienced drivers are less likely than any other age group - with the exception of drivers 60 and older - to use a cell phone behind the wheel.
"Many brand new teen drivers recognize passengers and portable electronics are distracting. But as they gain experience and become more confident in their driving skills, their attitudes about talking and texting while driving, as well as transporting passengers, changes," Adkins added.
Distraction caused by multiple passengers is particularly problematic for new drivers, according to the report, which looked at legislation, enforcement and educational programs nationwide and features nearly two dozen state initiatives.
New York, for example, will soon have the nation's toughest distracted driving penalties, the report said. For drivers under the age of 21 beginning November 1, the penalty will be a 120-day license suspension for the first offense and one year for the second. And state law is complemented with aggressive enforcement that includes utilizing unmarked, raised sport utility vehicles in a variety of colors that allow officers to better spot drivers who are texting or engaging in other distracting behaviors.
North Dakota invested federal distracted driving grant funds to provide law enforcement training in advance of a statewide high visibility enforcement initiative and media campaign conducted during Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April. The state continues to support the effort with messages via
Washington conducts a high school program through which teens complete a series of tasks in an attempt to earn a $500 grant for the school group of their choice. Some of the teen-led projects in more than 230 high schools include flash mobs, legislative rallies and construction of Memory Walls to honor victims of distracted driving.
Simulators, peer-to-peer campaigns, contests, phone apps, and grassroots advocacy were among the other promising approaches, the report noted.
To read the full report, click here.
