Though fewer young drivers are drinking and driving, they face many other dangerous distractions behind the wheel, according to a study released last week.

The National Teen Driver Survey, released by The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance, is a scientific sampling representative of the 10.6 million public high school students in the U.S.

Teenagers reported driving under dangerous conditions such as fatigue, cell phone use, loud music, distracting passengers and heightened emotions.

"Any behavior that divides your attention increases the chance of a crash," State College Police Lt. Dana Leonard said.

The fatality rate for drivers aged 16 to 19 years, based on miles driven, is four times that of drivers aged 25 to 69 years, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.

Ninety percent of teenagers say they rarely or never drive after using alcohol or drugs, according to the survey.

The 35 percent drop in teen traffic deaths involving alcohol from 1990 to 2005 reflects this data, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

However, the study also found that 90 percent of teen drivers find themselves distracted by the behavior of their passengers.

Leonard said some states have laws restricting the number of passengers young drivers can have in their vehicles.

"Some states restrict the number of passengers allowed in a vehicle when it is operated by a teenage driver, but Pennsylvania doesn't do this," Leonard said.

"A carload of four teenagers is more at risk than just one teenage driver."

Having extra passengers in the car can often lead teenagers to drive less carefully than normal, State Farm spokeswoman Cynthia Davenport said.

"[The study] found that when there was more than one teen in the car, it could be a bad distraction for the person driving," Davenport said.

"There is also sometimes encouragement to speed by other teens in the car."

Half of the respondents reported speeding "at least sometimes" 10 or more miles per hour over the speed limit.

Winter weather makes this type of driving even more dangerous, Leonard said.

"It would be very helpful for people to slow down and allow more time for their trips," Leonard said.

"Whenever conditions are extreme, like they are right now, it affects our ability and the time it takes to get where you're going."

Nine out of 10 teens reported that it was common to see peers driving while using a cell phone, and 48 percent admitted to sometimes using a cell phone themselves while they were driving.

Cell phone use while driving is unregulated in Pennsylvania, Leonard said.

"I think that it's something we as a driving public need to analyze and see what kind of impact it has on our lifestyle," he said.

"There are certainly benefits of having a cell phone, but I just hope we can balance the need for everyone to stay connected with divided attention."

Amanda Foreacre (freshman-English) said she often sees young drivers use cell phones while on the road.

"They don't feel like pulling over to the side of the road like they probably should," Foreacre said. "Maybe because it seems easier or more convenient."

Strong emotions can also distract young drivers, who are more likely to be experiencing stress from dramatic changes in relationships, academic pressure or physical development, according to the study.

"Heightened emotions, whether positive or negative, can sometimes lead to road rage," Davenport said.

Many teens also reported not using seatbelts.

Only 65 percent reported wearing a seatbelt consistently as both a driver and a passenger.

Foreacre said she makes sure to use seatbelts every time.

"When I'm driving, I always wear a seatbelt and I make sure my passengers do, too," Foreacre said.

"But I can't account for everyone out there."