BLOOMINGTON, IL-Ninety-one percent of drivers own a smartphone and more than half of them use the phones while driving. People who use their cellphones while driving are more likely to have been in a crash compared to those who don’t.

So for so what, right?

The thing is, the American insurance giant State Farm just released the results of a major survey on driving and smartphones and while the results do reinforce many things you probably assumed, the survey also shows that people who use their cellphones while driving do so even though they know how risky it is.

When asked why, they provided reasons such as improved efficiency, need to stay in touch, habit, searching for information on the internet, and seeing something they want to share.

There is some good news. After several years of steady increases in distracting cellphone activities, the State Farm study shows that only taking pictures and recording videos saw significant increases this year.

As you might expect, the survey also proved that if a person uses his cell while driving, he’s more likely to take risks in other areas, such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, racing, failing to wear a seatbelt, and driving while drowsy.

“Survey respondents reported using smartphones while driving despite finding them distracting and despite thinking the behavior increases the likelihood of a crash,” says Chris Mullen, Director of Technology Research at State Farm.

“Today’s drivers are faced with an ever-growing number of demands on their attention that may distract them from the critical task of driving,”

“Every day we make choices about the risks we are willing to take when behind the wheel. We encourage everyone to take personal responsibility in adopting safer driving habits, for the benefit of themselves, their families, and all who share our roadways.”

The survey was conducted as part of our ongoing research into highway safety issues. It did not involve any policyholder claim information. The full survey can be found here.