EMERYVILLE, Calif. – The most comprehensive research ever conducted into teen crash found substantial evidence that distracted driving is a much more serious problem than previously known, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

Video analysis finds that distraction was a factor in nearly six out of 10 moderate-to-severe teen crashes. This is four times as many crashes as official estimates based on police records.

 Researchers at the University of Iowa analyzed the six seconds leading up to a crash in nearly 1.700 videos of teen drivers taken from in-vehicle recording devices.

The results showed that distraction was a factor in 58 percent of all crashes studied including 89 percent of road-departure crashes and 76 percent of rear-end crashes.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, previously estimated that distraction is a factor in only 14 percent of all teen crashes.

Among the key findings in the study were that drivers manipulating their cell phone (calling, texting or other uses) had their eyes off the road for an average of 4.1 seconds out of the final 6 seconds leading up to the crash.

Researchers also measured reaction time in rear-end crashes and found that teen drivers using a cell phone failed to react more than half of the time before impact, meaning they crashed without braking or steering.

It is well known that passengers and cell phones increase the risk for teen drivers. That risk is made worse because young drivers cannot draw upon past driving experience to manage unsafe conditions.

Utah’s graduated driver licensing law addresses the most common causes of teen crashes and gives teens time to practice in a safe environment.

“Parents can play a vital role in preventing their teens from engaging in distracted driving and learning to be a safe driver,” said Cynthia Harris, AAA Northern California spokesperson. “Before parents begin practice driving with their teen, they should create a parent-teen driving agreement that includes strict ground rules related to distracted driving.”

AAA offers help for parents of young drivers at www.TeenDriving.AAA.com . There, parents can find a comprehensive driver education program, where teens can learn specifically how using a cell phone affects driving abilities and increases crash risk.

A full research report and b-roll video of teen driver crashes is available on the AAA Foundation’s Web site, www.AAAFoundation.org .