Young Drivers Not Getting The Mobile Message: Study

A new survey on young driver behaviour has found that while few are sending text messages from behind the wheel, many continue to look at their phones in traffic.

According to South Australia’s RAA, a survey of more than 3500 licenced high school students found that less than five percent admitted to texting while driving, but more than 25 percent confessed to looking at their phones while stopped at lights.

RAA’s Penny Gale said that while young motorists appear to be realising the danger in using their phones while driving, the lure of social media is difficult to ignore.

“During those few seconds that you’re concentrating on your phone, anything could happen on the road in front of you,” Ms Gale said.

“The traffic lights could change, a cyclist might pedal up next to you, or a pedestrian could walk out in front of your vehicle – all of which could cause a crash with serious consequences.”

A recent survey by insurer AAMI showed less encouraging results, with one in four motorists aged between 18-24 admitting to reading or sending messages while driving.

The AAMI survey also found that nearly one in two young drivers had made a phone call while driving without using hands-free, while one in eight had posted a message to Facebook.