Michigan drivers continue to text behind the wheel, survey says
A report from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning suggests eight percent of Michigan drivers still text and drive despite the law against it.
The Michigan Distracted Driving Survey of March 2012 surveyed 600 Michigan residents of various ages, polling on what tasks they perform while behind the wheel.
The survey found 56.5 percent of Michigan drivers still accept and make cell phone calls while on the road, and 17.2 percent still look at incoming texts or emails.
Spokesperson for the OHSP Melody Kindraka said the numbers are fairly accurate.
“It’s a small sample size but is certainly a picture of what could be going on in the state,” Kindraka said.
“The survey was conducted to help draw awareness to these problems," she said. "It makes people think about what they may or may not be doing while they drive."
Mount Pleasant Police Department Sgt. Andy Latham said it’s difficult to enforce the texting and driving law. Latham said he has only written one texting ticket.
“What’s hard is that you have to see the driver doing it," he said. "It’s not like speeding where you can just pick them up on the radar. You have to be 100-percent sure."
Latham said he knew of one recent accident involving cell phone use, where a pedestrian was hit by a vehicle while crossing High Street.
Sterling Heights junior Marcela Micheloni said she has tried texting and driving before, though she no longer does.
The main reason Micheloni said she decided to stop was the difficulty of trying to text and drive.
“It’s so hard to do while you’re driving," she said. "I don’t know how other people can do it."
Warren sophomore Caitrin Wojtas said she only texts at red lights.
“I guess I have done it, as bad as that sounds,” Wojtas said. “I try not to do it, now that you can get in trouble for it."
Wojtas said most of her friends do not text and drive.
“A lot of them hand the phone to the passenger while they are driving, so they can text for them,” she said.
Kindraka said knowing about the issue will help decrease the amount of people who drive while distracted.
“Awareness goes a long way," she said. "There are lots of different things going on in a car. People need to remember what their main focus should be, and that is driving.”
