Old people more likely to swerve whilst texting at the wheel

A new study into the effects of driving whilst distracted has shown that the older generation, rather than youngsters, are more likely to swerve dangerously if texting at the wheel.

Researchers at the Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan found that drivers aged between 45 and 59 are four times more likely to drift into a different lane and cause accidents if texting illegally whilst driving.

Around half of the test’s participants were shown to cross lanes whilst texting, but as participant age increased so did the likelihood of dangerous driving.

Using a simulator to record how motorists responded to texting whilst in control of a vehicle, the study showed that the older age group all drove across road boundaries whilst only a quarter of those aged between 18 and 24 strayed over the white lines.

The results of the study have come as a surprise, not least to the study’s researchers, who had assumed that the younger generation would be more likely to drive dangerously.

Professor Randall Commissaris, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, emphasized that, whilst younger drivers are generally more easily distracted and would struggle with the clear dangers of driving and texting, the older group, who are usually considered better drivers, were more likely to cause accidents.

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