Almost three-quarters of U.S. drivers engage in distracting activities such as talking on their cell phone, mostly because they feel the pressure to always stay in touch, a poll conducted last month by the Nationwide insurance company revealed.
The telephone survey showed that 80 percent of mobile phone owners reported they talk on the phone while driving, and 40 percent between the ages of 16 and 40 said they compose and send text messages while driving, the AFP reported.
Younger drivers were the least likely to use their phones while at the wheel, while drivers between the ages of 31 and 44 were the most likely. Teens were more likely than older drivers to pull over to talk or send a text message.
There are 115 road fatalities in the U.S each day and distracted driving causes 80 percent of road accidents, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
The survey attributed the lower occurrence rate among teens to "laws for teens that ban cell phone use while driving, increased parental control or the fact that they are just learning and more apt to follow the rules."
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