Motorists Afraid of Texting But Admit Doing It

Thank you for stating the obvious! 88 percent of motorists included in the 2010 Traffic Safety Culture Index study released today by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety think that texting and emailing while behind the wheel is a serious threat to safety, but lots of them admit doing it.

No less than 62 percent of those interviewed believe that talking on the phone while driving is another major threat to traffic safety. Well, guess what? 70 percent of the respondents said they actually talk on the phone while driving, while 24 percent even admitted that there are moments when they're sending text messages or emails even if the car is in motion.

"As mobile technology evolves at a breakneck pace, more and more people rightly fear and recognize that distracted driving – texting, e-mails, phone calls and more – is a growing threat on the road. But, unfortunately, this new data confirms the "Do as I say, not as I do" attitude is prevalent throughout much of the driving public," said AAA Foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger.

What's really interesting is that two thirds of those who were part of the study said they would lose some respect for somebody they know if he or she is distracted when driving.

"Motor vehicle crashes suddenly, prematurely and violently end the lives of tens of thousands of Americans each year – killing more of our children, teens and young adults than any other single cause," continued Kissinger. "Using a phone while driving increases your risk of being in a crash fourfold due to the physical, visual and mental distractions. As a society, we no longer can let distraction kill."