Distracted driving in teens caught on dashcam video

A new study of teenage drivers shows the effects of distracted driving are much worse than previously thought.

In fact, the study found distractions factor in nearly 60 percent of moderate to severe crashes.

Teenage drivers talking, texting or simply turning up the tunes. These behaviors and others all caught on dashcam video.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety analyzed nearly 1,700 videos showing teen drivers in the moments before a crash.

The study found nearly six out of ten drivers were distracted. That statistic is more than four times previous estimates from police reports.

"We're hoping that our central findings of the study will make parents more aware of the magnitude of the problem and the potential for disaster," said Peter Kissinger, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety President & CEO.

Car accidents are the number one cause of teenage deaths in the United States.

While California bans texting and any phone even hands free for teen drivers officials say even chatting with friends sitting next to them can cause a young driver to lose focus.

"When you get two or three teenagers in the vehicle at the same time, bad things tend to happen," said Kissinger.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety recommends state laws restrict passengers to just one non-family member for the first six months of driving.