SOUTHLAND – (INT) – Cell phone usage behind the wheel and texting while driving (TWD) has become a worsening distraction for motorists.

It’s been years since laws favoring hands-free devices were enacted. But, new statistics suggest California drivers are ignoring them.

The number of drivers killed or injured in collisions in which distracted driving was a factor increased every year to 11,090 in 2015.

The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) found that during April at least 12.8 percent of California drivers were observed using a mobile device during the day, up from 9.2 percent in 2015.

Other significant findings in the observational survey:

 Though nearly all types of usage were up, typing and posting increased by more than one third.

 The highest observed electronic device use and the fastest increase in usage is in urban areas, at 9.4 percent.

 Electronic device use during rush hours increased by 71 percent in 2016.

 The percentage of 16-24 year-olds talking on hand-held cell phones increased from less than 1 percent every year since 2012 to more than 2 percent in 2016.

 Southern California drivers hold the phone to their ear at a rate double (3.8 percent) or more than that of Central California drivers (1.9 percent) and Northern California drivers (1.4 percent).

Story Date: June 29, 2016