WebMD Medical News Laura J. Martin, MD June 7, 2012 -- Teens
have become safer drivers over the past 20 years, though now
they have new distractions that put them at high risk on the
road: their iPhones and other tech devices. That's one of the
major conclusions of the CDC's 2011 National Youth Risk Behavior
Survey, which was released today. The report lists many types of
risky behaviors teens engage in, but this was the first time the
federal health agency has collected statistics on the hazards of
texting and emailing while behind the wheel. Technology presents
new risks, the CDC's Howell Wechsler, EdD, MPH, told reporters
during a news conference. An estimated 1 in 3 teens reported
texting or emailing while driving. "Concern about the risks had
been widespread, and this data confirms it," Wechsler said.
"Texting is particularly dangerous." This news comes a day after
a Massachusetts 18-year-old was sentenced to one year in prison
for causing a deadly accident while texting and driving, showing
both the ris