Survey was conducted at locations where students were taking simulation courses, and it is assumed they were more likely to be concerned with safe driving than average teens.

• Despite the law stating that teens must have 40 hours of supervised drivers training, 15% indicated the received less than 10 hours and over 50% met the 40 hour minimum.
  
  
• Over 25% of the students indicated that they had less than 10 hours experience driving at night.
  
  
• 59% indicated they ‘sometimes’ or often use cell phones while driving, about 85% indicated their friends ‘sometimes’ and ‘often’ use cell phones while driving. Over 75% indicate their parents or other adults with whom they drive ‘sometimes’ or ‘often’ use cell phones while driving.
  
  
• While 23% indicated they ‘sometimes’ run red lights by entering intersections after the light changes, they note that 40% of their friends do this. The proportion jumps again for adults – 12% of teens say adults do this ‘often’ and 33% indicated that their role model adults ‘sometimes’ run red lights.
  
• 12.5% indicate they ‘often’ drive without seat belts and the majority indicated they ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ travel without seat belts. They see this behavior more in others than themselves – 43% say friends ‘sometimes’ drive without seat belts.
  
  
• 23% of all respondents indicated that their friends ‘sometimes’ consume alcohol before driving, and 6.7% indicate that this happens ‘often’. Also, 18% of all respondents indicated that adults they ride with ‘sometimes’ consume alcohol before driving.
  
• One third of all respondents indicate that they ‘joke around’ with their automobiles (swerve, race) ‘sometimes’.
  
  
• 36% of students admit ‘sometimes’ driving aggressively themselves and half say their friends drive ‘sometimes’ aggressively.
  
• Respondents indicate they sometimes eat while driving or drive when tired. These behaviors are also noted for their friends and adult role models.

View the survey in PDF format.

Updated: June 2006