AAA Arizona and Phoenix Children’s Hospital conducted a focus group of 60 teens from three Valley high schools to learn more about the driving habits of teenagers. Turns out, teens are more apt to keep their focus on their phone than on the road. 

Teen drivers are the most dangerous demographic on the roadways, said AAA Arizona’s Michelle Donati. One reason is teens tend to engage in riskier driving behavior — like texting.

More than 20 percent of teens surveyed between the ages of 14 and 16 reported using their cellphone or texting while driving — and 14 year olds can’t even legally drive in Arizona. That number nearly tripled to 64 percent for drivers 17 and older.

"What we found is that the teen driver said when I start driving I don’t plan on using a cellphone and I don’t plan on texting while driving the majority of them said that. but they also said when I get older when I gain more experience behind the wheel, when I get a little more comfortable with what I’m doing, I do plan on using my cell phone or texting while driving," said Donati.

They also learned almost 70 percent of teens drive with more than one passenger in the car.

"When a teen is driving with a passenger, a non adult passenger, their crash risk and their risk of being killed in a crash goes up by 44 percent and when the number of non-adult passengers exceeds three or more, their risk of being killed in a crash goes up more than 400 percent," Donati said.

Teens with a “graduated driver’s license” are not allowed to have more than one non-family member in their car unless a licensed adult or guardian is seated next to them. 

Donati said AAA will take the results of this survey to the Arizona Legislature. Arizona currently does not ban texting while driving.