**A ton of new research** on teens and distracted driving dangers has popped up in the past six months—more than in the past century since cars were invented. **Distracted driving risks** are now clearer than ever. Handheld devices are everywhere and used for so much, they’ve become essential for getting by in our modern lives. This new info tells **drivers** why it’s crucial to **pay attention on the road** rather than on screens.

For years it has been common knowledge that teenagers are the most adept at using these devices and the most frequent “texters.” Stories of teenagers texting hundreds or even thousands of times every month have become as common as the devices themselves. It sometimes seems not a month goes by that some unsuspecting parents doesn’t receive a cell phone bill way over their monthly limit.

A recent report by the National Transportation Safety Board raised awareness of distracted driving by citing a study which showed that fatalities caused by distracted driving now outnumbered the fatalities caused by drunken driving crashes. It also showed that in the majority of those case teenage drivers were involved.

The National Institutes or Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both concur that traffic crashes are the number one cause of death for teenagers in the United States. The link between these statistics is unmistakeable.

As lawmakers struggle to control the actions of drivers behind the wheel by limiting their ability to text and drive or use any sort of handheld device at all, parents are left to fend for themselves when it comes to warning their teenagers about the dangers of texting and driving.

In the meantime, whether you have a teenage driver in your house or not, be aware of the danger and drive defensively. And put your cell phone in the glove box.