A New State Farm Survey of Hispanic Drivers Reveals Frequent Use of Smartphones While Driving

November 18, 2014: Three in 10 Hispanic drivers said they have engaged in webbing while driving, according to a first-of-its-kind distracted driving survey by State Farm. This was the first time Hispanic drivers were surveyed regarding their driving behaviors. Drivers who use cellular phones while driving are four times more likely to have a crash than those who refrain from this risky behavior.i Haga clic aquí para ver la traducción al español de este comunicado de prensa.

The new survey, which was comprised of 650 U.S Hispanic drivers over 18 years old, shows nearly 37 percent text and drive and the majority of drivers (54 percent) program a navigation system/GPS while driving. The survey revealed that approximately one quarter indicated reading emails, responding to emails, reading social media, and update social media while driving.

“The mobile internet is generating another set of distractions for drivers to avoid,” said Chris Mullen, Director of Technology Research at State Farm. “Much attention is paid toward reducing texting while driving, but we must also be concerned about addressing the use of multiple mobile web services while driving.”

According to a report by the National Highway Transportation Safety Association, racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately killed in traffic crashes, compared with the much larger non-Hispanic White population. Of particular concern is the large number of fatalities in the Hispanic population because this ethnic group is the largest minority group in the United States. These distractions pose an ever increasing risk to drivers and their safety on the road.

“The safety community must ensure we are keeping pace with our understanding of the types of distractions drivers face,” said Mullen. “Regulation, enforcement, education and technology all have a role to play in making our roads safer for all who share them.”

While distracted driving research and education often focuses on young, inexperienced drivers, the data indicate that motorists of all ages are using their smartphones while driving.

Other Key Findings:

91 percent of Hispanic drivers with cellphones indicated that they owned a smartphone

For Hispanic drivers ages 18-29, 53 percent text while driving, and 37 percent check email

Drivers are accessing the internet on a smartphone at 30 percent, while drivers 18-29 are doing so at a much higher rate, 41 percent

Twenty-five percent of drivers are updating social media networks, with drivers ages 18-29 doing so a bit more at 33 percent

About the survey: In October and November of 2014, the State Farm Strategic Resources Department used an outside panel vendor to conduct an online survey with approximately 650 U.S. Hispanic consumers. Survey respondents included those who reported being Hispanic or Latino, having some insurance and financial responsibility for their household, having a valid driver’s license, owning a cellphone, and driving between 1 and 80 hours per week. The sample was representative of the U.S. Hispanic population by age, gender, region, and preferred language of the online survey.