Texting while driving can increase chances of a crash by as much as eight times, according to a comprehensive study released this week by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety – a higher risk than many realize, the automobile association’s Colorado spokesman said.

“Deep down, I think everybody appreciates just how dangerous it can be to text and drive or talk and drive,” said Skyler McKinley, spokesman for Colorado AAA in a release accompanying the report.

“That so many drivers regularly engage in these deadly behaviors is evidence of a ‘It could never happen to me’ mindset. Today’s report should make one thing clear: Motorists are putting themselves, other road users, pedestrians, and property at significant risk every time they pick up the phone while driving.”

The number of traffic fatalities on Colorado roads has been rising in recent years, according to Colorado Department of Transportation data, and it looks like the 2017 total of 620 represents another increase. Distracted driving was a factor in roughly 10 percent of all fatal crashes and 18 percent of crashes causing injury, according to figures compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“Crash Risk of Cell Phone Use While Driving: A Case- Crossover Analysis of Naturalistic Driving Data,” the first epidemiological study on the topic in over a decade, studied 3,600 drivers for a little over two years using in-car video cameras and other monitoring to assess whether drivers were more likely to crash while they used their cell phones.

The results were clear: drivers texting or surfing the web or otherwise interacting with their cell phones are between two and eight times more likely to crash than drivers who aren’t distracted by a device. Talking on a cell phone – whether it’s hands-free or not – increases chances of a crash by up to four times, the study found.

Even though 66 percent of drivers say it’s wrong to use a cell phone while behind the wheel, roughly half that number admit they do it regularly, according to the AAA’s latest Traffic Safety Culture Index.

McKinley pointed to survey results that show almost 90 percent of drivers support outlawing texting and related activities while driving, with more than 60 percent strongly supporting it.

“Any level of risk is too high when it comes to safety behind the wheel,” McKinley said. “Configure your GPS, check your notifications, and come up with a clever response to that cheeky Instagram comment before you hit the road. While driving, focus on just one task: Driving.”

Read a detailed summary of the study here and the full report here.