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The Parent Report: Teenagers Are Distracted Drivers

BOSTON (CBS) - Officials say it's become a deadly epidemic...it's distracted driving...and it's affecting young drivers the most.

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Ray Lahood is the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, but he's also a parent, and he says he dreaded the day when each of his four children turned 16 because car crashes are the leading cause of teen deaths.  And many of those crashes are caused by distracted driving with a teen driver on the phone.

Nearly 5,500 people in the U.S. were killed in distracted driving accidents in 2009, and according to Lahood, 63% of drivers under age 30 acknowledge using a hand held phone while behind the wheel.  30% say they've sent text messages while driving. Lahood says it's a problem of epidemic proportion.

The transportation department is teaming up with Consumer Reports magazine in a push to get young people to realize the safest way to get from one place to another is to hang up and drive. Donato Vaccaro at Consumer Reports says many younger drivers don't consider driving while on the phone dangerous.

Mark Rosenker is a former Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board and he believes phones and driving don't mix.

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