Iowa — A survey of drivers about things that distract them finds some alarming trends continuing to worsen.
Holly Anderson, a spokesperson for Iowa’s largest auto insurer, points to growing danges behind the wheel as cell phones take our eyes, hands and minds off driving.
Nearly all drivers, 91-percent, report owning a smartphone and half say they use them while driving. She says motorists need to use the “two and two” rule, two hands on the wheel, two eyes on the road.
Using a hands-free device is equally as distracting as a handheld phone, she says, as it takes your mind away from focusing on driving. This is the 8th year for the survey and Anderson says another clear trend is that parents have a significant influence over their kids, noting, kids will pick up their parents’ driving habits, good or bad.
The survey of drivers found: 50% talk on a hand-held phone, 35% text while driving, 29% access the internet while driving, 26% read email behind the wheel, 21% respond to email, 22% access social networks, 23% take pictures, 14% record video, 93% talk to passengers, 23% attend to children and 21% attend to pets in the car. Survey respondents reported using smartphones while driving despite finding them distracting and despite thinking the behavior increases the likelihood of a crash.
For a look at the complete study, CLICK HERE.
