Teenage drivers are slowly realizing that texting while driving is not a good thing. Many teens, however, still don't realize that doing anything that takes their eyes off the road while they are behind the wheel is dangerous to them and their passengers.

In fact, while the number of teens who look at their cell phone screens while driving has dipped slightly from 43 percent to 40 percent in earlier studies, a good chunk of teen drivers still do many things that require them to look at other things beside the road.

Around 27 percent of teens surveyed in a study published in the Journal of Transportation Safety & Security do all sorts of things while driving, including changing their clothes and shoes while the vehicle is moving. They also said they have changed contact lenses, put on makeup, and done their homework, all while manning a moving vehicle.

"We were pretty surprised at the changing clothes bit," David Hurwitz, assistant professor of transportation engineering at Oregon State University and lead author of the study, told NPR. "Teens are busy, I guess."

Hurwitz notes that teens, who are less experienced drivers than adults and are, at least theoretically, better equipped to handle risks, have zero to little awareness of the risks of distracted driving, which is the leading cause of road accidents involving drivers of all ages. He says that just as texting can take one's eyes and brain off the task of driving, so too can doing other things, such as eating, drinking, smoking, changing radio stations, checking the GPS, and talking on the phone, even in hands-free mode.

"Based on recent studies, anything that takes your attention away, any glance away from the road for two seconds or longer can increase the risk of an accident from four to 24 times," Hurwitz stated.

Hurwitz and his team suggest that interactive drivers' education, where teens can sample the risks of multi-tasking in a safe environment, such as the classroom or in an auditorium, can be helpful in raising awareness among teens as regards the dangers of distracted driving.

For instance, the researchers conducted an interactive drivers' education class for high school students in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho where distractions are simulated, such as teens being asked to write a phone number on the chalkboard while talking to someone on the phone.

"Young people learn better when they are involved in the process, not just sitting and listening to a lecture," Hurwitz said. "We think an increase in active learning will help with this problem and can improve driver education. Students doing this can see how much better their awareness and reaction time are when they aren't distracted."

Photo: Leo Hidalgo | Flickr