One in Four Moms Text While Driving With Babies

New mothers are talking and texting on cell phones – and even checking e-mail – while driving with their baby on board, according to a new survey.

Seventy-eight percent of mothers with children under two years old admitted talking on the phone while driving with their babies. And more than a quarter of them said they text and check e-mail.

The survey was conducted by the child-protection advocacy group Safe Kids Worldwide and American Baby magazine.

One scary conclusion: The driving habits of new moms are every bit as dangerous as that of teenage drivers.

Texting while driving creates a crash risk 23 times higher than driving while not distracted, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Following is from USA Today:

The survey of 2,396 mothers finds an attitude among new moms that is reflected in the general population: They tend to think they’re safe drivers but actually engage in risky habits.

Among the mothers, 63 percent say they’re more cautious behind the wheel since giving birth, but that’s not reflected in their behavior.

“Everyone wants to think they’re a good driver, especially when they’re a mom,” says Laura Kalehoff, executive editor of American Baby. “You pick out the safest car seat, the safest crib, and you want to feel like you’re making the right choices. They thought they were being better drivers, while their behavior showed otherwise.”

Nearly 10 percent of the surveyed mothers who drove an average of 150 miles a week had been in a crash while driving with their babies — a crash rate nearly three times higher than that of the general public and one that closes in on the crash rate of teen drivers.

Here are some safe driving tips for new mothers:

• Leave your cell phone in the back seat while driving.
• Pull over and stop if you need to deal with your child – don’t turn around and continue to drive.
• Stay alert.
• Talk with an experienced Distracted Driving Attorney to learn more about the dangers of  texting and driving in Pennsylvania.