Widespread Support for Texting Ban

Columbus Business First reports: A new survey from Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. shows that not even a generation gap gets in the way of strong support for laws banning text messaging while driving.

Columbus-based Nationwide said that four in five adults surveyed by Harris Interactive would somewhat or strongly support a law banning test messaging while driving, while the same share supports similar restrictions on e-mailing.

Support is weaker, though still in the majority, for a law blocking any cell phone use while driving. Of those surveyed, 57 percent said they would somewhat or strongly back such a measure.

Nationwide said an unsurprisingly large share of baby boomers and seniors threw their support behind such bans, but at least two in three Generation Y adults, those ages 21 to 32, backed possible bans on texting or e-mailing.

Just how many of those surveyed adults are violating the proposed rules they say they’d support was left up to question. Nationwide said 49 percent of those surveyed said laws restricting cell phone use wouldn’t make a difference because they don’t use them while driving. Just a year ago in a similar survey, 80 percent admitted to talking on their cell phones while driving, indicating some might not be telling the truth as the issue takes the national spotlight.

Among those who do admit to using cell phones while driving, 82 percent say they would change if laws were passed, while 18 percent say they’ll continue using their phones.

Nationwide’s survey was conducted from Aug. 5-9 and surveyed 1,008 adults by phone. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.