(STUDY FINDS) — QUEENSLAND, Australia — Here’s a frightening newsflash for drivers: a disturbing number of young motorists you pass on the roadways may be sending messages on social media while behind the wheel. A study by researchers at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Australia finds that one in six drivers between 17 and 25 years old have used Snapchat while driving.
The research team, led by researcher Verity Truelove of QUT’s Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety-Queensland, surveyed 503 local drivers ages 17 to 25. They also interviewed 60 additional drivers during in-person focus groups. About one in every respondents (16%) admitted to using Snapchat on their mobile devices while driving. Of those, 15% said they have used their phone to send a video or photo over Snapchat while driving. Snapchat is a camera-based social media mobile app that allows users to send pictures and short videos to each other.
