The August issue of Seventeen magazine will feature a study conducted by the publication and AAA looking at the high risk behavior of teenage drivers.

The survey yielded disturbing results, with more than 60 percent of teen drivers admitting to dangerous behavior behind the wheel.

Of the 61 percent who freely admitted to risky driving habits, some 46 percent said they had sent a text message while behind the wheel. Not surprisingly, 51 percent of teen drivers talk on their cell phone while driving.

Driver distraction in as many as 25-50 percent of crashes involving teens could be directly traced to the presence of other teenagers in the car.

Forty percent of the 1,000 respondents age 16 to 17 said they routinely drove at least ten miles over the speed limit and 11 percent said they had consumed alcohol or drugs before climbing into their vehicles.

In a news release announcing publication of the story, Seventeen editor-in-chief Ann Shoket said, "Teens love to text, talk on their cell phones, and hang out with their friends. But when you mix those social activities with young, inexperienced drivers, the results are dangerous and in many cases fatal."

Thomas Chestnut, President and CEO of AAA's Western and Central New York operations said, "Novice young drivers need experience to gain the proficiency that will help to keep them safe on the road," indicating at least six months of safe, unsupervised driving was required to achieve that level of competence.