New Study Finds Teens’ “Fear of Missing Out” is Proving to be Dangerous
Teens Under Pressure to Stay Hyper-Connected
Nearly 3,000 fatal crashes in 2013 were caused by distracted drivers, and 10 percent of those deaths were teens (
According to the survey, teens feel parents – more than anyone else – expect immediate replies to their text messages, even while driving. Fifty-five percent of teens report texting while driving in order to update their parents, and nearly one in five (19 percent) believe that their parents expect a text response within one minute, and 25 percent within five minutes – even while driving. However, the survey reveals a disconnect, as 58 percent of parents say they do not have set expectations on teens' response time - showing a need for more open conversations about driving among parents and teens.
Connecting with parents isn't the only distraction for young drivers. The survey also uncovers one-third (37 percent) of teens report texting to confirm or coordinate event details – another sign of their strong desire to stay connected. Additionally, nearly half (48 percent) of teens take their eyes off the road when app notifications come in while driving, and an alarming number (88 percent) of teens who consider themselves "safe" drivers report using phone apps on the road.
Most popular apps teens report using behind the wheel include:
- Snapchat: 38 percent;
- Instagram: 20 percent;
- Twitter: 17 percent;
- Facebook: 12 percent; and
- YouTube: 12 percent.
"Today's hyper-connected teens' 'fear of missing out' can put young drivers at risk on the road as they may be more plugged into their devices than the actual driving task," said Dr.
Dangers Beyond Digital: "Always On" Lifestyle can Lead to Drowsy Driving
Technology behind the wheel isn't the only peril stemming from teens' "FoMO." Teens' reluctance to "miss out" and an "always-on" lifestyle are creating drowsy young drivers – and the new data shows parents are largely unaware of this danger: While 61 percent of parents believe their teens get enough sleep, 52 percent of teens get less than six hours of sleep each night during the week. Even more, nearly three quarters (70 percent) of teens admit to driving while tired – making them less attentive and delaying reaction times. Among the parents who think their teens don't rest enough, 51 percent attribute it to them staying up to read text messages and notifications – revealing signs of "FoMO" infringing on sleep. With an estimated 100,000 crashes and 1,550 fatalities annually directly resulting from driver fatigue (NHTSA) – it's critical that parents and teens alike receive a wake-up call on this dangerous threat.
"Today's parents are juggling their own busy schedules, and too often young drivers' risky habits go unrecognized," said
Many don't realize the effects of drowsy driving are similar to driving under the influence. After simply 18 hours awake, cognitive impairment equates to blood alcohol content (BAC) of .05 percent, and after 24 hours awake up to a BAC of .10 percent – higher than the legal limit in all states (according to the
The study revealed that more than half of teens reported falling asleep or nearly falling asleep at the wheel – with the leading culprits being:
- Busy schedule (extracurricular, school, etc.): 43 percent;
- Staying up late completing homework: 32 percent;
- Staying up late for social activities: 24 percent;
- Working late hours during the week: 20 percent; and
- Being tired or hung over from drinking/partying the night before: 10 percent.
Help to Keep Teens Safe
Parents and teens must recognize the dangerous implications of today's hyper-connected and overscheduled teens and implement ways to reduce these risks on the road. It's essential for parents and teens alike to have open and honest conversations and set expectations around responsible driving, and
About the Study
About SADD
SADD, the nation's leading peer-to-peer youth education, prevention, and activism organization, is committed to empowering young people to lead initiatives in their schools and communities. Founded in 1981, SADD today has thousands of chapters in middle schools, high schools and colleges. SADD highlights prevention of many destructive behaviors and attitudes that are harmful to young people, including underage drinking, other drug use, risky and impaired driving, and teen violence and suicide. To become a Friend of SADD or for more information, visit sadd.org, parentteenmatters.org or follow SADD on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
About Liberty Mutual Insurance
In business since 1912, and headquartered in
The fifth-largest auto and home insurer in the U.S., Liberty Mutual (libertymutual.com) sells full lines of coverage for automobile, homeowners, valuable possessions, personal liability, and individual life insurance. The company is an industry leader in affinity partnerships, offering car and home insurance to employees and members of more than 14,000 companies, credit unions, professional associations and alumni groups.
Media Contact:
Glenn Greenberg
Liberty Mutual Insurance
617-574-5874
[email protected]
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