The dangers of handheld cellphone use among teen drivers
A new study by researchers at Penn Nursing and the Perelman School of Medicine links newly licensed teen drivers to risky driving behaviors, and recommends teens and their parents develop strategies to avoid using cellphones while driving.
A new study, conducted by a group of researchers led by the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has found a strong association between handheld cellphone use and risky driving behaviors among newly licensed teen drivers. The study, published in JAMA Open, uses a smartphone telematics application to track the driving habits of hundreds of teens and identify potential safety risks.
The investigation finds that teens who used their cellphones while driving are significantly more likely to engage in risky driving behaviors, such as hard braking and rapid acceleration. These behaviors can increase the risk of accidents and injuries.
“This study provides further evidence of the dangers of handheld cellphone use while driving,” says lead-author Catherine C. McDonald, the Dr. Hildegarde Reynolds Endowed Term Chair of Primary Care Nursing, chair of Penn Nursing’s Department of Family and Community Health, and co-director of the Penn Injury Science Center. “It’s crucial for teens and their parents to be aware of the risks and to take steps to avoid using their phones while driving.”
“Smartphone telematics applications provide a valuable tool for studying driving behavior and for developing interventions to improve safety,” says McDonald. “By identifying risky behaviors, we can develop targeted interventions to help teens become safer drivers.”
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