• Who are the most distracted drivers?  You might be surprised.  According to a recent poll, college educated and higher income drivers scored highest in almost every category of “distracted” driving.  Poll statistics indicate ninety-three percent of drivers engaging in some form of distracted driving, whether by it is texting, talking on a cell phone, or eating behind the wheel.  Four in 10 licensed motorists admit that driving while distracted has caused them to swerve into another lane, slam on the brakes, narrowly avoid an accident, or being involved in a motor vehicle collision.   This number rose to 49% for drivers with college degrees and 43% for drivers earning more than $75,000 per year.

    Drivers with higher education and/or income levels scored highest in almost every “distracted” category of the poll:

    • 41% of well-educated drivers and 35% of high-income drivers say they’ve swerved out of their lane as a result of distracted driving, versus 32% of all drivers polled.
    • 37% of drivers with a college degree and 33% in the highest income bracket report slamming on their brakes because of distractions, compared with 29% of all motorists polled.
    • 26% of well-educated drivers and 22% of higher income drivers reported distracted driving caused them to nearly get into an accident, compared with 18% of all drivers polled.
    • 22% of well-educated drivers and 18% of high-income drivers admit they’ve been ticketed for distracted driving, compared to 12% of all drivers polled.
    • 20% of well-educated drivers and 16% of well-off drivers say they’ve been involved in a minor accident because of distracted driving, compared with 11% of all motorists polled.
    • 17% of well-educated motorists and 13% of high-income drivers have been in a serious accident as a result of distracted driving, versus 8% of all drivers polled.

    Music and food cause of most of the driving distractions:

    •  92% of highly educated drivers and 95% of high-income drivers say they’ve adjusted a radio, CD player or iPod while driving, compared to 87% of all adult drivers polled.
    • 83% of highly educated and high-income drivers admit tp eating behind the wheel, compared with 77% of all respondents.
    • 80% of highly educated drivers and 85% of high-income drivers say they’ve used a cell phone while driving, compared to 74% for all drivers.
    • 39% of highly educated drivers and high-income drivers admit to kissing or engaging in other romantic physical contact while driving, compared to 29% of all drivers who acknowledge being amorous behind the wheel.
    • 33% of highly educated and high-income drivers say they’ve read while driving, versus 20% of all drivers polled.

    Please do your part to keep the roads safe by recognizing and eliminating your own dangerous driving habits and encouraging others to do the same.

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