Teen texting trouble on the road

NEW YORK -  

It's no secret that using a cell phone while driving may increase your risk of a crash.

Two new studies weighed just how dangerous the practice can be.

One study show teens consistently drove worse when texting, regardless of whether the phone was hidden.

And many experts say parents should lead by example.

“As a parent, you should not be texting, you should not be on the cell phone, lead by example,” says Dr. Joe Austerman of the Cleveland Clinic.  “It becomes very detrimental if you’re telling your children not to test, but they see you doing it. And when I say text I don’t mean just sending out messages, I mean looking at your cell phone, when you take your eyes off the road.”

A second study found that even thinking about future cell phone use distracted teens.          

They were taking their eyes off the road to check for text messages or missed calls.