When we think of drivers and texting, it is easy to think of younger drivers and it is usually the case that young drivers are singled out as being the most reckless on the roads. Elderly drivers have also recently been the subject of much debate, with many arguing that they should be required to take a retest.
However, a recent study has showed that drivers aged between 45 and 59 are four times more likely to swerve dangerously out of their lane if they try and text whilst driving. The study which tested drivers in a simulator found that every driver in the older category accidentally crossed from one lane to another while using their mobile phones to send a text message, compared with 25% of 18-24-year-old drivers.
This study, therefore, disproved the theory that younger drivers are more easily distracted and are more susceptible to the dangers of texting and driving. The participants in the older category has been chosen because they were proficient at texting with one hand, owned smartphones and indicated they were prolific texters in order to ensure that texting ability wasn’t a variable.
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