Although a lot of attention has been paid to the driving habits of young people, it seems as if more people need to look at the behaviors of adults on the roads. According to a survey from the University of Michigan, parents tend to put their young children at risk when driving with them in the car. Nearly 90 percent of drivers claimed they took part in at least one technology-based distraction, such as talking on the phone or texting, while their children were in the vehicle.
"Lots of attention has been given to distracted teen drivers," said Michelle L. Macy, the lead author of the study. "However, our results indicate parents are frequently distracted while driving their 1- to 12-year-old children, and these distracted drivers were more like to have been in a crash."
Parents can do more to protect their children than simply ignore their technological devices. Adults who use seat belts were more likely to take advantage of appropriate child restraints, such as boosters and car seats. Even things like getting a car tune up to make sure seat belts are in proper working order can be helpful, as it gives parents some peace of mind behind the wheel.