Texting while driving increased by 50 percent in 2010, according to a study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the NHTSA monitored drivers at various intersections and stoplights to find that while less than 1 percent of them are using their phones at a given moment, the rate increased from 0.6 percent last year to 0.9 percent this year.
The rate at which drivers make voice calls behind the wheel remained constant at 5 percent, the NHTSA found.
The NTHSA also surveyed more than 6,000 drivers to find that 18 percent of them admitted to sending texts or emails while operating a vehicle; that number jumped to 49 percent among drivers aged 21 to 24. Additionally, it discovered that most people will answer a phone call while driving.
Meanwhile, the NTHSA said that 35 states and counting have passed laws banning texting while driving. Last month, Pennsylvania became the latest state to impose such a regulation. Nine states have also barred drivers from using cell phones while driving altogether.
But despite the push to legally prohibit distracted driving, the practice is still on the rise, NTHSA said.
"It's clear that educational messages aren't alone going to change their behavior," Jonathan Adkins, a spokesman for the Governors Highway Safety Association, told the Journal. "Rather, good laws with strong enforcement are what is needed. Many drivers won't stop texting until they fear getting a ticket. The increase shows what an uphill challenge distracted driving remains."