Relatively few (6%) high school students said that they rarely or never wore a seat belt, whereas 39% reported having texted or emailed while driving during the 30 days prior to taking the survey. What factors might account for this significant discrepancy, especially since texting while driving is arguably much riskier than not wearing a seat belt?

The biological makeup of teenagers makes them highly susceptible to impulsive behaviors. The amygdala, which is the emotional center of the brain, develops during the teenage years and become hyperactive. Whereas the prefrontal cortex which is responsible for impulsive control and higher cognitive abilities is still not fully developed and is a at a developing stage. This combination makes the teenagers emotional and not able to control their impulses and not able to evaluate their decisions properly.

Texting and emailing while driving is highly dangerous activity. Usually adults know this and would refrain from doing this. Teenagers on the other hand are not able to think and plan ahead as well as adults and may indulge in risky activities such as this and others such as binge drinking, racing on the road, reckless driving, performing dangerous stunts. Another factor is that teenagers have this egocentric thinking which makes them feels that they are invincible and nothing could go wrong and this could cause to them to do reckless activities.