Study: Mobile Devices Create Biggest Driver Distractions

A recently released study by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) revealed that cell phones and other mobile devices cause nearly 25 percent of U.S. car crashes each year.

The GHSA, a nonprofit group that focuses on improved traffic safety, evaluated more than 350 scientific papers on distracted driving that have been published since 2000.

The study found that drivers are distracted nearly 50 percent of the time while operating a vehicle and that the use of a cell phone or other mobile device while driving caused a significant increase in the risk of crashing.

In 2009, there were almost 5,500 deaths and 500,000 injuries that resulted from distracted driving crashes, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The GHSA suggested state safety measures, such as a complete ban on cell phone use for novice drivers and a texting ban for all drivers.