•Despite the risks, the majority of teen drivers ignore cell phone driving restrictions.
•Talking on a cell phone while driving can make a young driver's reaction time as slow as that of a 70-year-old.
•56% of teenagers admit to talking on their cell phones behind the wheel, while 13% admit to texting while driving. (Note: Because this information was given voluntarily by teens, actual cell phone use numbers may be much higher.)
•48% of young Americans from 12-17 say they've been in a car while the driver was texting.
•52% of 16- and 17-year-old teen drivers confess to making and answering cell phone calls on the road. 34% admit to text messaging while driving.
•In 2007, driver distractions, such as using a cell phone or text messaging, contributed to nearly 1,000 crashes involving 16- and 17-year-old drivers.
•Over 60% of American teens admit to risky driving, and nearly half of those that admit to risky driving also admit to text messaging behind the wheel.
•Each year, 21% of fatal car crashes involving teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 were the result of cell phone usage. This result has been expected to grow as much as 4% every year.
•Almost 50% of all drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 are texting while driving.
•Over one-third of all young drivers, ages 24 and under, are texting on the road.
•Teens say that texting is their number one driver distraction.
