A new report on distracted driving shows that U.S. motorists admit to all sorts of dangerous activities while behind the wheel. 

The survey, conducted by online driving school DriversEd.com, found that 80% of drivers admit to reading text messages while driving, and 67% said they have typed text messages while driving. The survey also found that among vape device users with a driver’s license, 54% said they vape while behind the wheel. 

Vaping behind the wheel is a particularly dangerous activity, according to a safety and education expert with DriversEd.com. 

“The act of vaping by itself carries serious health risks, especially for young people,” said Laura Adams, safety and education analyst at DriversEd.com.

“Vaping and driving takes those risks and adds the dangers of both impaired driving and distracted driving. These numbers on vaping and driving are startling, and parents need to speak with their teen drivers on this issue — as the consequences of vaping and driving can be deadly,” she said. 

Other findings included: 
– Swiping and driving: Among dating app users with a driver’s license, 21% have checked a dating app on their phone at the wheel, while 15% have swiped and 15% have messaged a match.  
– Selfies and driving: 34% of drivers have taken a picture on their phone, while 13% have taken a selfie. 
– Social media: 22% have checked Facebook, while 16% have checked Instagram.  
– Videos: 12% have watched YouTube videos, while 10% have watched Facebook videos.

For families, one effective solution in the fight against distracted driving and other dangerous behind-the-wheel behaviors is to create a parent-teen driving contract, which clearly outlines acceptable driving behaviors, unacceptable behaviors and the nonnegotiable consequences of breaking the agreement, Adams said. DriversEd.com has a parent-teen driving contract that can be found here.

The full 2019 Distracted Driving in America Report — which includes additional insights and analysis — is available by clicking here.