According to a new survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 35 percent of drivers admitted to texting or talking while behind the wheel despite 95 percent of respondents indicating they were aware of the danger such behavior poses.

Accidents resulting from distracted driving cause tens of thousands of deaths each year, and cost billions of dollars due to property damage. Behaviors such as talking on the phone, texting, applying makeup, eating and even talking to passengers can greatly increase the risks of the road.

Even safe drivers may be caught in an accident, and all may suffer from higher auto insurance rates than would otherwise be necessary.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatalities caused by accidents involving distracted driving accounted for 16 percent of roadway deaths in 2009, up from 10 percent in 2005.

In 2009, one-fifth of injury crashes involved a distracted driver. As a result of these growing statistics, a number of states have banned texting or talking on a phone while driving, and further measures may result in the future.