Hyman is among the one in five U.S. drivers between the ages of 18 and 60 who practices what is known as "driving while texting," according to a survey by Nationwide Mutual Insurance.
The percentage swells among younger drivers, with 37 percent of those ages 18 to 27 saying they swap messages while on the road, the survey found. The figure drops to 17 percent among drivers 28 to 44. Only 2 percent of those 45 to 60 admitted to the practice.
Reports of accidents in which text messaging was a factor have prompted legislatures in several states, including Washington, Arizona, New Jersey and Connecticut, to consider bans on driving while texting. . . .
In the United States, research into driver distraction has largely focused on talking on cell phones, but overseas research suggests that texting poses an even greater hazard.
In Australia, a university study found that young motorists who sent text messages while driving spent about 12 out of every 30 seconds with their eyes off the road.
