Study: Nearly 60 Percent of U.S. Cell Phone Users Text

Almost 60 percent of all cell phone subscribers in the U.S. now text from their handsets, compared with 54 percent in 2008, according to a new study on mobile messaging. In addition, 30 percent of subscribers browse the Web, and 27 percent check e-mail from their cell phones. That's according to thesecond annual Vlingo Consumer Mobile Messaging Habits Report, which surveyed 4,816 U.S. consumers.More ominously--and more in tune with the main focus of the study--despite Driving While Texting (DWT) bans in seven states and the District of Columbia, as well as reports of accidents caused by DWT, 26 percent of cell phone subscribers continue to text behind the wheel.Interestingly, Arizona had the least ratio of offenders at 18 percent, while 42 percent of Tennessee drivers did the same thing.