It's no secret that texting and talking while driving is dangerous, but a new Plymouth Rock Assurance survey finds that many drivers in New Jersey admit to shaving, applying makeup and brushing or combing their hair while behind the wheel.

Distracted Driving
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Twelve percent of those polled admit that they have tried to drive while doing personal grooming, 27 percent programmed a personal navigation system, five percent said they have browsed the Internet, while two percent said they have read the newspaper.

"At the same time, more and more drivers are getting frustrated with those who are distracted. Nearly fifty percent of the passengers we polled said that they have taken the step to ask a driver to stop texting or taking part in other distracting behavior while driving," said Valerie Simon, spokeswoman for Plymouth Rock Assurance.

"It's pretty clear that there is a groundswell of people here in New Jersey who are fed up with people not paying attention to the road."

According to the survey, nine percent admitted that they have driven under the influence of alcohol and listened to music wearing headphones.

"It's no secret that life gets busy and people get distracted, but people need to realize that that single, momentary lapse in focus can have dire consequences," said Simon.

Other findings from the survey:

  • Younger drivers, ages 17 to 44, appear to text more than three times as much as older drivers, make calls without a hands-free device, and program GPS units more frequently.
  • 73 percent of drivers say they send or read texts while their cars are idling at a traffic light or signal.
  • Twice as many younger drivers, 34 to 17 percent, say they have sent or read texts while driving.
  • Older drivers are more likely to park in a safe location before sending a text message.

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