DENVER -- Colorado teenagers lead the national average when it comes to texting while driving.

More than half -- 51 percent -- of Colorado teens admit to sending or receiving text messages while driving, according to a new survey. The national rate is 46 percent.

Ninety-seven percent of in-state teens believe such a practice is dangerous.

The Web survey findings were released Tuesday by the Colorado State Patrol, AAA Colorado, the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association.

AAA Colorado offered the web survey to Colorado teenagers between Aug. 20 and Sept. 21. Four hundred and sixty Colorado teens from 84 different towns statewide responded to the survey, which also quizzed teens about their driving habits and knowledge of current state laws regarding cell phone use while driving.

Other key results include:

81 percent of teen survey respondents believe there should be some legal limitation on cell phone use (including text messaging) while driving.

74 percent of Colorado teens surveyed admitted not knowing traffic laws for cell phone use in Colorado.

73 percent of teens said strict driving penalties (such as losing their license) would make them less likely to text message while driving.

38 percent of Colorado teens surveyed admitted to taking their eyes off the road when texting while driving.

"Hopefully, the results of this survey will raise awareness of the problem of teen cell phone use while driving, and encourage parents to discuss this important issue and set a good example," said Wave Dreher, a traffic safety specialist with AAA Colorado.

Chandra Carney told 7NEWS she wasn't surprised by the results. The East High student said she becomes nervous when her friends text and drive.

"You're not paying attention to what you're doing," Carney said.

Colorado has seen how dangerous texting and driving can be. In November 2005, a 17-year-old hit and killed a bicyclist while texting behind the wheel.

The victim, Jim R. Price, 63, was riding his bicycle in a bicycle path when he was hit by the teen's car near Wildcat Reserve Parkway and Summit View. At the time, the victim's family called for more attention on the issue.

7NEWS recently conducted a test with two teenagers. Both teens were asked to type text messages while they drove. The test was done on a closed course in Parker with emergency personnel on scene.

"I think it'll be a good opportunity to see what happens," said Brandon Stiles, who was about to get his drivers license and one of the participants.

Stiles weaved in and out of cones nearly perfectly during a run without using his phone. When asked to begin texting, Stiles' vehicle ran over two cones on the same course.

"I didn't think it would be that bad," Stiles said.

Natalie Sertic, 17, was next. While on the same course, nearly every cone was knocked over. Sertic said she's forced to take her eyes off the road while texting.

"I have to look for the letters and I couldn't find them, and by that time, I was halfway where I wasn't supposed to be," she said.

For Stiles, the dangers of distraction strikes a personal, emotional chord.

"My friend actually died because he was on his cell phone with a lot of people in his car," Stiles said. "I just don't want it to happen to anybody else."

AAA Colorado advises parents to discuss the dangers of text messaging while driving, and suggests checking cell phone bills for phone usage when teens are driving.