Missouri Bicycle News

Eight of ten Americans are multi-tasking during drive time, yet most of them consider themselves safe drivers, according to a new survey from nationwide Mutual Insurance. Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event. Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, such as cell phone use and drowsiness, according to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration.

In the survey, drivers admitted to doing at least one of the following activities while driving: Talking on the phone, eating -- which topped the list -- personal primping, like doing hair, make-up and shaving, and using cell phones and other electronic devices. Some took their eyes off the road to send text messages and emails. Experts at Mutual Insurance warn distracted drivers put others at risk.