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Distraction In Teen Crashes Is Worse Than Thought

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- Distracted driving is far more serious a problem among teen drivers than previously expected, according to a study conducted by AAA.

Distracted driving is causing more accidents among teen drivers than previously thought.

Distracted driving is causing more accidents among teen drivers than previously thought.

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Analysts compiled data from nearly 1,700 videos of teen drivers from in-vehicle event recorders in the seconds leading up to a crash. Nearly 58 percent of the accidents studied involved some level of distraction, including 89 percent of all road departure accidents and 76 percent of all rear-end crashes, AAA said. 

Interacting with one or more passengers was the most common distraction for teen drivers at 15 percent, followed closely by cell phone use at 12 percent, AAA said. 

Teens have the highest crash rate of any group in the United States. About 963,000 drivers age 16-19 were involved in police-reported crashes in 2013. These crashes resulted in 383,000 injuries and 2,865 deaths, AAA said.

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