Faculty Sponsor: Maryam Gooyabadi
Live Poster Session: Zoom Link
Will Livingston
Will Livingston is a sophomore at Wesleyan University majoring in Government with an American concentration and minoring in Data Analysis. Will chose his course of study due to the numerous accidents surrounding texting and driving among individuals his age.
Abstract: Using one’s phone while driving is an incredibly dangerous issue that kills people every day. Age is one of the most commonly researched variables associated with using one’s phone while driving. Existing data is contradictory as some studies have found that teens are more likely to use their phones while driving compared to adults (McBride & Carter, 2016). In contrast, numerous other studies have concluded that adults are just as guilty of phone usage while driving as teens are (Zeman, 2013). This study examines data from over 3,000,000 traffic stops of individuals ranging from 16-77 years old within CT during 2018. This study examines, of the individuals stopped, the association between age, sex, and phone traffic violations. A significant association was found between age and whether one was stopped for cell phone use indicating that middle-aged individuals were most likely to be stopped for a cell phone violation. Moreover, sex was found to be a moderator for the association between age and whether one was stopped for cell phone use. While we cannot confirm that middle-aged individuals are more likely to use their phones while driving, it is a possibility. It thus could be pursued by lawmakers to focus legislation not only on younger drivers.
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