In 2010, a pair of studies completed by the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company showed that out of 1,000 respondents, four in 10 reported nearly being hit or being hit by people who were distracted by technology, like cellphones. Those who claimed they were nearly hit were usually over 55 years old, and more incidents were reported in the South and Western states rather than the East and Midwest.
Driving Behaviors
When the people involved in the study were asked about their behaviors on their phones while driving, 32 percent referred to using their phones for GPS while on the road. Another 18 percent were checking their emails, while 10 percent were actually sending emails. A somewhat low number of people reported using their phones for texting at 21 percent.
In fact, even though eight in 10 drivers claim they’ve never texted behind the wheel, the numbers are slightly skewed. It was mostly those over 55 who claimed not to text and drive; around 97 percent of those over 55 said texting and driving was not something they’d do. For those under 35, only 53 percent could say the same.
Source: Automotive Fleet, “Distracted Driving Causes Nearly 40% of Accidents,” Brittany-Marie Swanson, accessed Aug. 16, 2016