With all of the educational efforts to reduce the number of distracted drivers on the road, one would think that drivers would take some of the advice to heart. Apparently, some drivers are finding new ways to be distracted behind the wheel. According to an informal survey conducted by State Farm, one in five drivers admitted to surfing the Web while driving. While the percentage of those who admitted to using the Internet while behind the wheel is less than those who text or make calls, the new data creates a trinity in cell phone related distractions.

It is generally thought that young drivers are the most apt to use cell phones behind the wheel, but the advent of smart phones may change that assumption. For example, one 38-year-old, non-profit communications coordinator says it would take a car accident or a near-accident experience to get him to stop surfing the Internet as he drives down the road. He admits that the practice is "not the smartest thing in the world", but like many others he feels compelled to check for various updates like sports scores. His bad habit behind the wheel is also not appreciated by his wife who hates the practice. The 38-year-old plainly feels a car accident is not going to happen to him despite his webbing and driving habit.

In comparison to the 38-year-old adult, one 16-year-old from Florida has already had his previously inconceivable near-crash experience. The teenager said his near-accident occurred while he was driving and updating his Facebook status. He acknowledged that he knew about the dangers of distracted driving but still felt he had to update his status while behind the wheel. Now he says he does not look at his phone anymore while driving. He concludes, "[The near-crash] scared me so much, I don't . . . Facebook and drive anymore."

Source: USA Today, "19% admit Web use while driving," Larry Copeland, 3/2/11