Study Finds Many Texans Texting While Driving

According to a study released this month by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, 3 out of 4 Texans talk on a cellphone at least occasionally, and almost 50% sometimes read or text while driving.

The study results, based on responses from 3,000 drivers in the state, are no surprise to Texas car accident attorneys who often represent clients injured by distracted drivers. The research was conducted in April and May of 2013 at driver’s license offices across the state and is believed to be “a reasonable reflection of Texas drivers,” according to senior research scientist Katie Womack, who led the study.

Researches report that 76% of drivers said they had talked on a cellphone while driving at least once in the preceding month; 24% said they did so regularly. Of the 3,000 respondents, 44% said they read or typed texts or emails while behind the wheel. Also, 18% reported looking at Facebook or other websites during drive time.

The study also analyzed the education of the participants to determine any correlation to distracted driving behavior. Those with higher education were found to be more likely to talk, text or browse websites while driving than those with lower educations.

Oddly enough, 49% of the study participants said they “strongly agreed” that Texas should make texting while driving illegal.

If you’ve been injured in an accident because of a distracted driver, contact the Houston car accident lawyers at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers today for help.