A new report shows a large number of teens are driving while distracted.
The survey conducted by AAA and Seventeen magazine found 86-percent of teens have driven while they were distracted by behaviors such as texting, eating, or tuning the radio. Also, almost all of them knew at the time they should be paying attention to the road.
Beth Mosher with AAA Wisconsin says the behavior is largely because of inexperience behind the wheel, and teens’ belief that they can handle multiple activities while driving. Many teens may also be learning bad habits from their parents, who engage in similar distractions while behind the wheel.
Mosher says parents need to stress the importance with teens of staying focused while driving, since taking your eyes off the road for just a second can delay a critical decision needed to avoid an accident.