An insurer's nationwide survey of motorists has discovered that98 percent believe they are safe drivers, even as 72 percentconfessed to having driven while busy with a cell phone or otherdistraction.

The information was contained in Columbus, Ohio-based NationwideInsurance's latest Driving While Distracted study, which contacted1,500 drivers by telephone.

Nationwide said its polling found availability of technology wascited by 35 percent as the reason DWD is so common today. Thesurvey found that 48 percent considered cell phones and othertechnology use to be the most dangerous distraction.

Another 35 percent mentionedcurrent societal mindsets and busy,on-the-go lifestyles as a reason for driving distracted.

Multitasking was cited by 22 percent and having too much to doand too little time was cited by 30 percent.

Nearly half of teenagers and those age 18-30 (Generation Y) saidthat staying connected socially was a reason for driving whiledistracted.

But Nationwide said driving while distracted is a problem thatspans generations. Well above half of all generations, 78 percentof Generation Y, 80 percent of Generation X (31 to 44 years of age)and 65 percent of Baby Boomers (45 to 61 years of age) were guiltyof participating in tasks such as talking on a cell phone oreating.

Ninety percent of drivers said they believe distracted drivingwill only increase in future generations.

More than four out of five cell-phone owners were found to havetalked on their phones while driving.

Almost 80 percent of those polled said they have been in avehicle with distracted drivers and more than 40 percent have beenhit or almost hit by another driver who was talking on a cell phonewhile driving.

Bill Windsor, associate vice president of safety for Nationwidenoted that "according to the National Highway Transportation SafetyAdministration, distracted driving causes 80 percent of allaccidents."

Use of technology, Nationwide said, extends beyond speaking onthe phone, to text messages and e-mail. Nearly 40 percent of teensand Gen-Yers who own cell phones admit to texting while driving,which requires additional visual, cognitive and manualattention.

The survey found that nearly two-thirds of drivers who own cellphones said their colleagues, friends and family expect them to beavailable by cell or other electronic communication devices at alltimes.

Multitasking was cited by 22 percent and having too much to doand too little time was cited by 30 percent as reasons forinvolvement with distracting activity.

In addition to multitasking, the survey found distracted drivingis growing in prevalence simply to stay connected socially. Nearlyhalf of teens and Gen Y cited staying connected socially as areason for driving while distracted.

Mr. Windsor said Nationwide found, "Americans think they're safedrivers, even though they admit to driving while distracted. Thisdangerous false sense of confidence combined with current 'rules'making it socially and professionally unacceptable to not respondimmediately to a call or e-mail, have made DWD commonplace, butAmericans need to realize that there is no such thing as safeDWD."

Only three percent of those surveyed felt that the prevalence ofDWD was due solely to inexperienced or teen drivers. Well abovehalf of all generations (78 percent of Generation Y, 80 percent ofGeneration X and 65 percent of Baby Boomers) were guilty ofparticipating in tasks such as talking on a cell phone oreating.

While teenage drivers were slightly less guilty of talking ontheir cell phones while driving, at 60 percent, this does not meanthey are immune, Nationwide said. The firm speculated that thelower occurrence rate could be attributed to factors such asgraduated drivers license laws for teens that ban cell phone usewhile driving, increased parental control, or the fact that theyare just learning and more apt to follow the rules.

The poll found distractions made up three of the top fourreasons why respondents have to suddenly apply the brakes whiledriving:

o Daydreaming

o Adjusting music

o Use of a cell phone/electronic device

The other top reason cited was other drivers.

Overall, more cell phone owners found themselves talking ortexting while driving on the highways or through city streets thanwhen they were parked, in traffic or at a light (almost 50 percentversus almost 37 percent). Teens, however, were more likely to talkand text while not in motion than their older counterparts.

When asked what would be most successful in preventing cellphone use while driving, respondents were closely split betweentechnology that would automatically prevent devices from working inthe car (43 percent) and laws banning the use of cellphones/electronic devices while driving (42 percent).

Nationwide said that to raise awareness of the distracteddriving problem, it will be partnering with the National SafetyCouncil to jointly host a DWD Symposium Oct. 14-15 in Washington,D.C. "Thought leaders" will discuss which distractions pose thegreatest threat and how distracted driving can be mitigated.