Virginians See Distracted Driving as Big Problem but Still Use Phones While Driving

Virginians rank distracted driving as more serious than drunken driving and five other highway safety issues, said a state survey shared Tuesday by Gov. Ralph Northam (D). About 2,000 people participated in the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute's 11-question survey. “We know that distracted driving is a fast-growing epidemic in the Commonwealth and the 93 percent of town hall participants who agreed is a clear indication that this serious safety issue is a concern of nearly all Virginians,” said Northam. While most agreed distracted driving is a problem, “nearly 80 percent candidly admitted that they at least sometimes use their cellphones while driving,” noted Transportation Secretary Shannon Valentine.