43% of teen drivers say they text and drive and, tragically, they are 23 times more likely to crash

43% of teen drivers say they text and drive

[I]And, tragically, they are 23 times more likely to crash[/I]

Nearly 43 percent of high school students of driving age reported texting and driving at least once in the past month, says a new study from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Males were more likely to text while driving than females (46 percent vs. 40 percent), and older teenagers more likely than younger ones. Fifty-two percent of those over 18 reported texting and driving.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death among teenagers, and texting while driving makes the car 23 times more likely to crash.

The study found that state laws provide little deterrent: 39 percent of teens say they text in states where it is illegal versus 44 percent in states that permit it.

Technological solutions will likely need to be developed to significantly reduce the frequency of texting while driving, said the studys senior investigator, Dr. Andrew Adesman of Cohen Childrens Medical Center of New York.

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