Rural teens are more distracted drivers

MARBLE FALLS, Texas (KXAN) - In an era when talking on cell phone and texting are as prominent as a popular fashion statement among teens, those in Texas show the trend is becoming less of a distraction behind the wheel.

A Texas Transportation Institute study released Thursday shows a greater awareness of how those technological tie-ups can affect driving among Texas teens.

Some 18,000 high school students in the state took part in the two-year study. Among the most significant findings, it shows urban teens do a better job of avoiding distractions like texting or talking on a cell phone while driving than their rural counterparts.

The percentage of urban teens who said they talk on a cell phone while driving dropped from 52 the first year to 46 the second, while rural teen drivers went from 66 to 52. The percentage of urban teens reporting they text while driving dropped from 47 percent to 42, while rural teen drivers went from 58 to 48.

"It's just dump," said Will Shirey, a Marble Falls High School student. "If you've got that kind of distraction, you're so much more likely to get in a wreck or something."

"You can wait a few minutes to get to where you need to be and text later," agreed classmate Rachel Schelde. "It would make a lot of difference in saving lives, even your own."

While the results suggest rural teens are more easily distracted behind the wheel, the two groups showed there was no significant difference between the rate they received traffic tickets.

TTI said it plans to discuss these findings during the first-ever National Summit on Distracted Driving next week in Washington, D.C.

Austin News has also learned about Safe Driving Systems, LLC., a Utah-based company, which has developed a device to disable drivers' phones altogether. It plugs into your car's computer, sending a signal to stop all incoming and outgoing calls and texts except emergency numbers. The product is out already for as low as $50.