Drivers Frown On Texting, Even As Practice SpreadsDrivers Frown On Texting, Even As Practice Spreads

In an example of "don't do as I do, do as I say" many New Jersey drivers admit they have texted while driving, although they frown on the activity, according to a survey of driving habits conducted by researchers at Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind Poll.

Researchers interviewed 951 New Jersey residents this spring, in a study co-sponsored by the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic safety. They found that the incidence of drivers sending text messages while driving increased by 40% in the past year with 21% of the respondents saying they have texted while driving. In the previous year; 15% said they had texted while driving.

Dan Cassino, director of experimental research for the PublicMind poll, said that 86% of the respondents support New Jersey's primary cell phone and texting law, which bans texting while driving.

"People seem to have gotten the message about cell phones and driving, but for some reason don't get it about texting," said Cassino in a statement. "This is happening despite the fact that 86% support the state's primary cell phone and texting law, and 71% say it should be more strictly enforced."

The Fairleigh Dickinson researchers found that the number of drivers using handheld phones while driving has stabilized with 80% of drivers saying they "rarely" or "never" use a hand-held phone while driving. Even so, nearly 1 in 5 drivers hold cell phones from time to time while driving. (Those numbers don't include people using hands-free phones while driving.)

Noting that research has demonstrated that using a hands-free cell phone can be as dangerous as holding a cell phone while driving, the researchers said 70% of New Jersey drivers believe hands-free phones are safer.

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