One out of every four American teens aged 16 or 17 have texted while driving, and more than 40 percent have talked on the phone while driving, according to a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

They'd better stop. All cell phone use is illegal for drivers under 18 in North Carolina, and starting Dec. 1, texting is illegal for drivers of all ages in the state. (See Oct. 13 Road Worrier column on texting teens.)

The report released today, "Teens and Distracted Driving: Talking, texting and other uses of the cell phone behind the wheel," also says:

- 82% of U.S. teens aged 16-17 own cell phones, and 76% of these cell-phoners use them to send or receive text messages.

- 34% of texting 16-17 yr olds say they have texted while driving. That means 26% of all teens aged 16 and 17. Among teens aged 12-17, 48% say they have been in a car while the driver was texting.

- 52% of cell-phoners aged 16-17 say they have talked on the phone while driving. That means 43% of all American teens in that age group.

North Carolina’s highway safety laws have earned the state a top “green light” rating in a new 50-state report from a Washington-based coalition of insurance, safety and consumer groups.

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety says North Carolina should adopt three laws, proven to reduce crashes and save lives, that are not on the books here.

The report, "2009 Roadmap to State Highway Safety Laws," calls on the state to:

* Require ignition interlock devices for everyone convicted of impaired driving, including first-time DWI offenders. The device measures blood-alcohol content in the driver’s breath; if the driver is impaired, the car won’t start. Only 7 states require ignition interlocks for all DWI offenders.
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Starting Wednesday, new North Carolina drivers under 21 will receive driver’s licenses in a new vertical shape — to remind store clerks that they’re too young to smoke or drink.

Young drivers now receive horizontal licenses that are color-coded with red or yellow borders to reflect the driver' age. The old horizontal licenses remain valid until the driver gets a new one.

The new vertical licenses issued by the state Division of Motor Vehicles will add explicit birthday details in to show when the driver will turn 18 — when tobacco sales are legal — and 21 — when alcohol sales are legal.

Last year Johnston County had the state’s worst teen traffic death toll, with accidents in 2007 that killed 14 people aged 15 to 20 (10 drivers and 4 passengers).

Johnston lost two more young people in a crash this week.

Which county was North Carolina’s worst in 2006? Wake, which lost 9 drivers and 7 passengers in that tender age group, according to statistics from the UNC Highway Safety Research Center.

In 2005, it was Guilford County’s turn at the top of this unhappy list: 7 drivers and 6 passengers.

Over the past three years, 2005-07, Wake County crashes have killed a total of 26 young people aged 15 to 20 (tying Davidson County for the state’s worst three-year record). Johnston’s three-year total is 24.

Fortunately, Durham and Orange accidents have not claimed as many young lives. From 2005 through 2007, Durham and Orange each lost 4 people aged 15 to 20 in traffic crashes.