1 in 5 drivers unable to avoid using their smartphones while driving

Eighty-seven percent of survey respondents believe it's dangerous to read and write text messages while driving, but 18 percent admit they are unable to "resist the urge" to use their mobile devices, according to a survey conducted by Bovitz and the University of Southern California Annenberg Center for the Digital Future.

Not surprisingly, millennials tend to use their smartphones more often while driving, with 17 percent admitting they do so, while seven percent of 35-54-year-olds text while driving.

"People are admitting that it's dangerous to text and drive, but it's still a behavior that people cannot shake," said Jeff Cole, founder and director of the University of Southern California Annenberg Center for the Digital Future, in a public statement. "Large majorities recognize the dangers of texting while driving, but we found disturbing differences in actual behavior based on age."

Many US states have laws against texting and driving - but enforcement remains sporadic - and it's still common to see people texting and using their smartphones behind the wheel.