E-Communicating and driving: who are the offenders and why do they do it?

It is generally recognized that distracted driving due to cell phone calls and texting is dangerous, potentially fatal, and illegal throughout much of the United States. Yet, the ill-advised practice remains pervasive and has increased due to the ubiquitousness of cell phones in our daily lives and to the numerous communication options via social media that are now available on cell phones. For the purposes of this study, we define e-communicating and driving (E&D) to include communicating via texting and using social media while driving but exclude talking on the phone. This research uses a survey approach, with a goal of understanding the characteristics and motivations of people who E&D. With respect to the frequency of E&D, the results indicate no evidence of a difference for those under 60 years old, which reveals that this behavior is not exhibited primarily by young drivers as many believe. The results also show no evidence of a difference by gender. There was a lower frequency of the behavior by those with a high school education or less as well as for those with higher levels of self-control. A greater frequency of the behavior was found for those with higher self-positivity bias and for those with a higher level of “fear of missing out.” Further, those who drive for longer periods of time are more likely to E&D and exposure to current anti-texting and driving messages shows no evidence of an impact on the behavior. This enhanced understanding offers valuable guidance for those crafting messages and interventions for preventing E&D behavior.