Phone-related distractions while driving are a major road safety concern among young drivers. In a recent publication, Johanna Schmickler and colleagues contributed to the development and testing of the Distracted Driving Belief Questionnaire (DDBQ), a theory-based tool designed to assess beliefs, intentions, and behaviors related to phone use while driving. Surveying over 1,100 young licensed drivers across the US, the study found that participants spend on average 21% of their driving time looking at their phones, with many glances lasting longer than two seconds. The results highlight how expectations, social norms, and perceived behavioral control influence intentions to engage in this risky behavior. The DDBQ offers a valuable foundation for designing targeted interventions to reduce distracted driving and improve road safety among young drivers.
Full publication:
Schmickler, J. M., Klauer, S. G., Quan, S. F., Weaver, M. D., Barger, L. K., Czeisler, C. A., … Robbins, R. (2025). Designing and validating a questionnaire to understand beliefs, intentions, and behaviors relating to distracted driving in young people. Traffic Injury Prevention, 1–10. doi.org/10.1080/15389588.2025.2493301