A growing number of motorists are using their smartphones to go online, finds a new study.
Despite the most intense safety-related crackdown since federal, state and local authorities decided to get tough on drunk driving, a new study suggests more motorists are going online to surf the web.
Not surprisingly, the study by insurance giant State Farm found the most serious abuse among drivers 18 to 29, 48% admitting to surfing the web while behind the wheel this past year, up from 29% in 2009 – a figure that may also reflect the rapid proliferation of smartphones capable of going online.
“The mobile internet is generating another set of distractions for drivers to avoid,” warned Chris Mullen, State Farm’s director of technology research. “While the safety community is appropriately working to reduce texting while driving, we must also be concerned about the growing use of multiple mobile web services while driving.”
Distracted driving has become one of the hot button topics for automotive safety advocates and has led to a nationwide crackdown – including the passage of laws restricting texting while behind the wheel. But there are concerns that surfing the web can create an even bigger distraction.
Social media sites like Facebook seem to be one of the big draws. Drivers in the 18 to 29-year-old group who admitted checking such sites while driving jumped from 21% to 36% between 2009 and 2012.
But the State Farm study of nearly 1,000 U.S. motorists also found that even older drivers were increasing this and similarly dangerous behaviors. Among all drivers:
- The number accessing the Internet jumped from 13 to 21% over the three-year period;
- The number specifically checking social media sites increased from 9 to 15%, while it soared from 21% to 36% among 18 to 29-year-olds; and
- Those who took the next step and posted updates to their social media status rose from 9 to 13% between 2009 and 2012. Among younger drivers, the increase was from 20 to 30%.
Young motorists were also the most likely to check their e-mail, that behavior increasing from 32% to 43% during the three-year period.
Ironically, 72% of the drivers surveyed said they strongly agreed with laws or regulations prohibiting texting or e-mailing while driving – even though two-thirds of the respondents felt the laws were seldom enforced.
Nearly half of all those surveyed said they would support the development of technologies meant to prevent motorists from texting or e-mailing while behind the wheel.
“Regulation, enforcement, education and technology all have a role to play in making our roads safer for all who share them,” suggested State Farm’s Mullen.