Web Surfing Behind the Wheel Could Rival Texting

The number of Americans who check their e-mail and surf the Web while driving is rising quickly especially among those under 30 years old, according to an annual report on distracted riving from State Farm.

The insurer says "webbing" is quickly becoming a bigger threat to highway safety than texting. The State Farm poll shows that the overall incidence of drivers who go on line while behind the wheel rose to 21% this year from 13% in 2009.

For drivers age 29 or younger, that ratio surged to 48% from 29% over the same period. Similarly, the proportion of young drivers who check e-mail jumped to 43% this year from 32% in 2009. The report blames the increase in part to the growing popularity of smart phones.

State Farm says 72% of the 1,000 drivers it polled strongly agree with laws to ban texting or e-mailing while driving. But about two-thirds say such laws are not well enforced. Almost half those surveyed described themselves as strongly favoring technology that would block texting or phoning while driving.