Apr 27, 2015 12:46 PM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

New research suggests that technology could help reduce distracted driving among novice teen drivers, even though mobile devices are the reason adolescent drivers are distracted behind the wheel.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of accidental death for teens. Previous studies suggest that the use of voice/text devices while driving is associated with crash risks up to 24 times higher than when cell phones are not used to talk or text while driving.

"The risks of electronic distraction for young drivers are very real, but facts and figures have not done enough to change driver behavior," Beth Ebel, lead author of the study, said in a statement.

For the study, researchers conducted a pilot study of two interventions with 29 teens. The first study was an in-vehicle camera system triggered by hard braking, fast cornering or an impact that exceeds a certain g-force. A video recorder captures events, which parents and teens can review to improve driving behavior. The second was a device that blocks incoming and outgoing calls/texts on cell phones when the vehicle is being operated. Both systems are commercially available.

Study participants were randomized to one of three groups: camera only, camera plus cell phone blocking or control group. Using a program installed on the driver's smartphone, researchers could see how many minutes teens spent talking and how many texts they sent while driving over a six-month period.

They found that teens in both intervention groups had lower cell phone use and fewer high-risk driving behaviors than the control group. The reduction in distracted driving was greatest for drivers with the blocking program installed on their smartphone.

"The results of our study suggest that technological programs that may help limit exposure to distraction for novice drivers are accepted by teens and lowered risky driving," Ebel concluded.

The findings will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in San Diego.    

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