Study: Teens more apt to text and drive than drink, smoke and fight
By Mike Stobbe, Washington Post
NEW YORK — American teens are smoking less, drinking less and fighting less. But they’re texting behind the wheel and spending a lot of time on video games and computers, according to the government’s latest study of worrisome behavior.
Generally speaking, the news is good. Most forms of drug use, weapons use and risky sex have been decreasing since the government started doing the biennial survey in 1991. Teens are wearing bicycle helmets and seat belts more, too.
“Overall, young people have more healthy behaviors than they did 20 years ago,” said Stephanie Zaza, who oversees the risky-behavior study at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The results come from a study of 13,000 U.S. high school students last spring. Participation was voluntary and required parental permission, but the responses were anonymous.