Study shows many parents use phones with kids in the car

(WJBK) - Teenagers take a lot of heat for spending too much time on their phones, but new numbers show parents may have something to learn, too. 

The dangers of distracted driving are well known and well documented, however a recent study shows that many parents still use their handheld devices while driving -- even with their children in the car. Sometimes even, the parents who were distracted with their phones didn't buckle their kids in properly. 

The study surveyed a group of more than 700 parents with children between the ages of 4 and 10. Researchers found that about half the parents talked on the phone while driving, while one in three read text messages. One in seven used social media.

Aside from the obvious dangers, in some areas it is also illegal to use a cell phone while driving. It's important to remember our kids are always watching us, and if we demonstrate unsafe behaviors they're likely to mimic those behaviors themselves. 

The study in the Journal of Pediatrics points out the best way for anyone to stay off their phone is to keep it somewhere out of sight and out of reach.