Drivers on their cell phones texting or browsing the web are two to eight times more likely to be involved in a crash than non-device distracted drivers, according to a new report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
The study also found that drivers talking on a cell phone behind the wheel are up to four times more likely to be involved in a crash, regardless of whether they’re using a hands-free or handheld device.
Per preliminary data from the Colorado Department of Transportation, 620 people died on Colorado’s roads in 2017 — surpassing 2016’s record-breaking tally with the highest figure in more than a decade.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distraction was a factor in about 10 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes, and 18 percent of all crashes causing injury.
The study found that a vast majority of drivers — nearly 90 percent — support having a law against reading, typing, or sending a text message or email while driving, and more than 60 percent strongly support such a law.
>> Click here to see the full report.