One in 7 Israeli drivers sends text messages while driving, study says Some 94 percent of Israeli drivers engage in other activities while behind the wheel which - although they are not necessarily against the law - are distracting, according to the Or Yarok Association for Safer Driving.

Moreover, nearly 40 percent of drivers commit at least one illegal act while driving, such as talking on their cell phone or sending an SMS, according to a survey by the group.Among the activities Israelis like to do while driving, the survey found, 80 percent look at billboards, 70 percent talk on their cell phones hands-free and 15 percent write text messages at the wheel.

Studies indicate that texting while driving is more likely to cause accidents than driving under the influence of alcohol. A Swedish study in particular concluded that drivers took their eyes off the road 400 percent more frequently when texting or receiving messages.A study conducted in the United States showed that the average driver takes his eyes off the road for between four and six seconds when texting, long enough to cover the length of a football field when driving at a moderate speed.
Shmuel Abuav, who heads Or Yarok, said his group's survey reveals that drivers today are "more aware of the dangers of doing distracting things while driving.

Haaretz.com