Distracted driving is a common occurrence in Mississippi, with three-quarters of current adult drivers reporting they have talked on a cell phone while driving, and one-third admitting they have read, written, or sent a text message while driving.  The number of people reporting riding with a driver who was distracted is much higher.  Almost nine out of ten (88.6%) adults told researchers they had been a passenger in a vehicle driven by someone talking on a cell phone, and more than half (53.2%) said they had ridden with a driver who was texting or emailing. Younger drivers are significantly more likely to report they had talked on a cell phone or texted while driving.

This information is from a survey of Mississippi adults performed by researchers from the Social Science Research Center (SSRC) at Mississippi State University.  The Center for Mississippi Health Policy commissioned Dr. Ginger Cross at SSRC to conduct the survey and to research policy options considered in other states.  The results of this research can be found in detail in the report Distracted Driving in Mississippi: A Statewide Survey and Summary of Related Research and Policies.

To download a copy of the complete report, click HERE.

To download a copy of the Issue Brief summarizing the report, click HERE.