Driver interacting with touch screen on car dashboard.

Texting while driving includes growing mobile web use

Texting while driving is not the only problem — drivers are increasingly using mobile web services.

Is texting while driving still a concern?

While texting and driving continues to rise and remain a concern, research around smartphone use while driving from State Farm® shows that other mobile web services are being accessed at higher rates. These other behaviors may pose a concern in the battle against distracted driving. In a recent distracted driving survey, the company found that overall usage of mobile devices while driving is up. The only decrease was talking on the hand-held phone. In 2020, they found that 18% of respondents also play games while driving.

Texting while driving has evolved into mobile web use while driving

In the ten years between 2010 and 2020, the State Farm survey noted the following trends:

  • Text messaging increased from 31% to 41%.
  • Reading email rose from 17% to 32%.
  • Reading social media information increased from 11% to 29%.
  • Accessing the internet more than doubled from 17% to 36%.

Texting while driving still a concern for businesses with drivers

What can you do about texting while driving and mobile web use?

Get to know the distracted driving laws in your state. Distracted driving threatens the lives of many drivers, passengers and pedestrians every day. However, you can help fight against distracted driving by avoiding dangerous habits such as texting while driving or accessing your mobile phone while driving, among other risky behaviors.

About the survey

In August 2020, the State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm) Strategic Resources Department conducted an online survey with adults 18 and older to examine their attitudes and behaviors regarding distracted driving. This survey was the ninth wave of a study first conducted in August 2009.

The information in this article was obtained from various sources not associated with State Farm® (including State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates). While we believe it to be reliable and accurate, we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information. State Farm is not responsible for, and does not endorse or approve, either implicitly or explicitly, the content of any third party sites that might be hyperlinked from this page. The information is not intended to replace manuals, instructions or information provided by a manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional, or to affect coverage under any applicable insurance policy. These suggestions are not a complete list of every loss control measure. State Farm makes no guarantees of results from use of this information.

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