Skip to main content

While driving risk for young

New research from the US shows that texting while driving has become a major cause of deaths and injuries amongst youngsters in the US. Using smartphones for texting or accessing the internet while at the wheel is the biggest single cause of death for teenagers in the US according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The report says that in spite of 45 US states having banned drivers from sending texts or emails while at the wheel, up to 660,000/hour are using smartphones
December 15, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
New research from the US shows that texting while driving has become a major cause of deaths and injuries amongst youngsters in the US. Using smartphones for texting or accessing the internet while at the wheel is the biggest single cause of death for teenagers in the US according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The report says that in spite of 45 US states having banned drivers from sending texts or emails while at the wheel, up to 660,000/hour are using smartphones while driving.

According to the NHTSA, texting while driving is six times more dangerous than driving while under the influence of alcohol. Yet drivers are still taking this risk. A recent study showed that up to 70% of US drivers are using smartphones while at the wheel, with 61% sending texts and 33% using email.

Related Content

  • NHTSA moving to tackle drink driving in US
    March 24, 2015
    A move by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the US could help reduce the risks of drink driving in the country. The NHTSA is working with a group of major automakers (the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety) and this has resulted in the establishment of the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS). The aim is to develop devices that can detect and prevent drunk driving by the use of infrared breath analysis or biometric readings using fingerprints. The technology is
  • Improving road safety a priority beyond politics
    February 23, 2012
    Figures have long since become an important part of our daily lives. Data on all the humdrum events around us is regularly used to shape political policy that is in most instances, designed to improve our well-being.
  • Drop in US road deaths for 2024
    May 23, 2025
    The US has seen a drop in road deaths and a road safety improvement for 2024.
  • Reduced road casualty rates for EU 27 nations
    December 5, 2013
    Road safety continues to improve in Europe, with official statistics for 2012 showing a drop in fatalities of 2,661 compared with the figures for 2011. The latest data from Pan-European police body TISPOL shows an encouraging trend towards better road safety, highlighting improvements right across the EU. In 2012, a total of 27,700 people were killed in road crashes in the European Union’s 27 member states, equivalent to 55 people/million inhabitants. This was the lowest road fatality rate so far recorded s