You might want to confiscate that cell phone before letting your teenager head out on the open road. About 26 percent of American teenagers admit to texting while driving, while 48 percent of teens say they have witnessed a friend text from behind the wheel, according to a Monday report.

The Pew Internet & American Life Project interviewed 800 teens ages 12 to 17 and held nine focus groups with middle and high school students, and found that the desire to stay in touch with friends often outweighed the safety risks.

"Many teens understand the risks of texting behind the wheel, [but] safety sometimes takes a backseat to staying in touch with friends and family," Amanda Lenhart, a senior research specialist at Pew, said in a statement.

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