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Study: Michigan drivers continue to text and email while driving

Posted at 10:23 AM, Dec 01, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-01 10:23:18-05

LANSING, Mich. – A new survey from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning says that 41% of drivers between 20 and 30 years old admit to texting and emailing while driving.

The OHSP says that the recent statewide phone survey got results from 400 20-to-30 year olds.  The survey asked questions about driving habits, Michigan’s texting law and cell phone use while driving.

Survey results include:

  • 26% say they text or email while driving daily
  • 51% admitted to texting at night while driving
  • 22% admitted to texting while it was snowing
  • 77% said they would be less likely to text if there was a child in their vehicle
  • 53% said they would be less likely to text if points were added to their driving record if caught

The OHSP says that under Michigan law, violators of the texting ban face a $100 fine for first offense and $200 for additional offenses.

The Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center says that 7,516 crashes in 2015 were the result of distracted driving.  28 people were killed and 3,472 were injured.  A cell phone was involved in 753 of the crashes.