New study explores why people use cell phones while driving

Driving is already a complex task and now a new study by State Farm explores why people complicate it even more with distracting behaviors.

‘Yea I do, I’m gonna be honest,” said distracted driver Meghan Dixon.

“I take precautions,” said Rosemary Favazza of Salinas. “So I know it’s against the law so I don’t do it.

Ninety-one percent of the drivers surveyed own a smartphone. More than half of them reported using it while behind the wheel. Drivers we talked to also said sometimes it’s hard to fight the urge.

“Normally there’s people trying to contact me or I have things I need to get done,” said Dixon. “Or I’m checking on things on my phone such as assignments.”

Survey respondents said their reasons for using their cell phones while driving include improved efficiency, need to stay in touch, habit, looking up things on the internet and wanting to share things. California Highway Patrol told KION they’ve seen it all.

“Most people we pull over because they were on the phone, it’s usually they were talking to one of their loved ones,” said CHP Officer Oscar Loza. “Whether it’s their children, or their parents, or their spouse. Just letting them know their on their way home.”

CHP also said drivers use their phones while on the road because they believe they’re invincible. That getting into an accident while texting is something that happens to other people and not them.

“It’s kind of like if that person got cancer, it’s not going to happen to me because nothing bad ever happens to me,” said Dixon.

A new law that took affect this year bans drivers from being able to hold their phones at all while driving. If caught, they’re cited.

“We really haven’t seen a change in people’s behavior,” said Loza.

But CHP hopes that people will eventually learn after getting hit with some expensive citations.

“We hope they learn hopefully from the ticket or from themselves as opposed to getting into a crash,” said Loza.

Other distracting behaviors drivers admitted to include talking to passengers, attending to kids in the back seat or pets in the car.

ORIGINAL STORY: It seems drivers are still indulging in cell phone use while driving. KION’s Maya Holmes investigates the habits behind distracted driving and why people knowingly engage in these behaviors on the 5 P.M. news tonight.

We report on the heels of the State Farm’s Eighth Survey exploring attitudes and behaviors regarding distracted driving.

Those indulging in cell phone use also were also found to indulge in other risky driving behaviors. We look at whether Californian law that builds on past distracted driving rules has curbed any of the hazardous actions drivers indulge in.

April is recognized as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. In California, the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), the Salinas Police Department, California Highway Patrol, local law enforcement, and community partners throughout the state are working together to make the roads safer by highlighting the dangers of being distracted while driving, especially by cell phones.

Lawmakers agree that distracted driving continues to be a growing problem among California’s motorists. Assembly Bill 1785 went into effect on January 1, requiring all drivers in California to keep their cell phone out of their hands while operating a motor vehicle. Under the new law, a driver may activate or deactivate a feature or function of the cell phone or wireless communication device by swiping or tapping its screen only if it is properly mounted or not being held in a driver’s hand.

Driving is already a complex task and now a new study by State Farm explores why people complicate it even more with distracting behaviors.

‘Yea I do, I’m gonna be honest,” said distracted driver Meghan Dixon.

“I take precautions,” said Rosemary Favazza of Salinas. “So I know it’s against the law so I don’t do it.

Ninety-one percent of the drivers surveyed own a smartphone. More than half of them reported using it while behind the wheel. Drivers we talked to also say sometimes it’s hard to fight the urge.

“Normally there’s people trying to contact me or I have things I need to get done,” said Dixon. “Or I’m checking on things on my phone such as assignments.”

Survey respondents said their reasons for using their cell phones while driving include improved efficiency, need to stay in touch, habit, looking up things on the internet and wanting to share things. California Highway Patrol told KION they’ve seen it all. .

“Most people we pull over because they were on the phone, it’s usually they were talking to one of their loved ones,” said CHP Officer Oscar Loza . “Whether it’s their children, or their parents, or their spouse, just letting them know their on their way home.”-

CHP also said drivers use their phones while on the road because they believe they’re invincible. That getting into an accident while texting is something that happens to other people and not them.

“It’s kind of like if that person got cancer it’s not going to happen to me because nothing bad ever happens to me,” said Dixon.

A new law that took affect this year bans drivers from being able to hold their phones at all while driving. If caught, they’re cited.

“We really haven’t seen a change in people’s behavior,” said Loza .

But CHP hopes that people will eventually learn after getting hit with some expensive citations.

“We hope they learn hopefully from the ticket or from themselves as opposed to getting into a crash,” said Loza .

Other distracting behaviors drivers admitted to include talking to passengers, attending to kids in the back seat or pets in the car.

We report on the heels of the State Farm’s Eighth Survey exploring attitudes and behaviors regarding distracted driving.

Those indulging in cell phone use also were also found to indulge in other risky driving behaviors. We look at whether Californian law that builds on past distracted driving rules has curbed any of the hazardous actions drivers indulge in.

April is recognized as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. In California, the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), the Salinas Police Department, California Highway Patrol, local law enforcement, and community partners throughout the state are working together to make the roads safer by highlighting the dangers of being distracted while driving, especially by cell phones.

Lawmakers agree that distracted driving continues to be a growing problem among California’s motorists. Assembly Bill 1785 went into effect on January 1, requiring all drivers in California to keep their cell phone out of their hands while operating a motor vehicle. Under the new law, a driver may activate or deactivate a feature or function of the cell phone or wireless communication device by swiping or tapping its screen only if it is properly mounted or not being held in a driver’s hand.