Distracted Driving Statistics and Facts

Distracted driving is a serious safety issue in the U.S., causing thousands of preventable deaths and injuries each year. Despite drivers knowing the risks, recent data shows a concerning gap between awareness and behavior. Distractions like digital devices, emotions and daily activities continue to affect drivers.

Understanding distracted driving reveals who is most at risk and which prevention strategies are effective. From rising cellphone-related incidents to state laws, the data highlights its impact on insurance rates, legal consequences and most importantly, road safety.

Distracted driving happens when drivers do anything that takes their attention from driving. Looking away from the road for just five seconds while driving at 55 mph means traveling the length of a football field virtually blindfolded. This brief inattention creates major risks for everyone on the road.

Driving distractions fall into three types, each affecting how safely you can drive. Know these differences to spot your risky habits before they cause a crash.

• Visual: Taking your eyes off the road. This includes looking at navigation systems, checking mirrors or reading phone messages when you should be watching traffic.
• Manual: Taking your hands off the wheel. Activities like eating, drinking, adjusting controls or reaching for items prevent proper vehicle control.
• Cognitive: Taking your mind off driving. Phone conversations (even hands-free), daydreaming or focusing on stressful thoughts divert mental attention from driving.

While each distraction type is dangerous alone, activities like texting combine all three types at once. This multitasking greatly increases crash risk and explains why distracted driving remains a major safety problem on American roads.

The rise in digital distractions shows drivers' growing unwillingness to disconnect. The 2023 Travelers Risk Index for Consumers finds four in five drivers make calls while driving, and more than half (57%) write messages behind the wheel. This gap between awareness and behavior comes from "optimism bias," where most drivers think they can safely multitask, while others can't.

Mental distractions are equally concerning. With 76% of drivers operating vehicles while emotionally charged and 62% driving while tired, these internal states pose major dangers. Unlike phone use, which faces increasing regulation, stress and drowsiness remain largely personal choices that require greater self-awareness from drivers.

Despite years of safety campaigns, distracted driving continues to cause thousands of fatal crashes yearly, accounting for 8% of all fatal crashes in 2022. This percentage has changed little since 2018, showing limited success from current prevention efforts. Among these distraction-related incidents, cellphones were a factor in 12% of fatal crashes, highlighting their ongoing impact on road safety.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

While distracted drivers were involved in 5% of fatal crashes, they contributed to 8% of total fatalities. This difference suggests that crashes involving distracted drivers may cause more deaths per incident than other crash types, making distraction a key focus for safety improvements.

Distracted driving caused over 652,000 U.S. traffic crashes in 2022, ranging from minor fender benders to deadly collisions. While most incidents damaged only property, more than 198,000 caused injuries, and over 3,000 resulted in deaths.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Cellphone use contributes to about one in 10 distraction-related crashes, including nearly 43,000 non-injury collisions. These numbers show how common behaviors — like reading messages or answering calls — continue to reduce driver focus and threaten road safety.

Younger and older drivers had higher distraction rates in fatal crashes. Among those aged 15 to 34 and 75 and above, 6% were distracted when the crash occurred, slightly above the national average of 5%. The 25-to-34 age group had the most distracted drivers, making up nearly one-fourth of all distraction-involved drivers in fatal crashes.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Cellphone use among distracted drivers showed a similar pattern. About 14% of distraction-involved drivers across most age groups used a phone when the crash happened. This rate fell sharply among older groups: only 6% of drivers aged 65 to 74 and 4% of drivers 75 and older were using a cellphone, suggesting that mobile-related distraction is more common among younger and middle-aged adults.

Distraction risk varies greatly across the country. Recent data from Cambridge Mobile Telematics measures it through a key behavior: phone motion. This metric tracks how long drivers actively use or move their phones while driving, a strong indicator of distraction.

The table below shows each state's average phone use time per hour in 2023.

Source: Cambridge Mobile Telematics

Rhode Island drivers averaged over two minutes of phone use per hour — the nation's highest. That's nearly twice as much as Oregon drivers, who averaged just one minute and seven seconds. Drivers in the 10 most distracted states, including Mississippi, Louisiana and both Carolinas, had a 7.8% higher chance of injury or death in distraction-related crashes. Rhode Island alone faces a 14% higher fatal crash risk than Oregon.

As of 2024, 25 states and Washington, D.C., ban drivers from holding phones while driving. These include California, Georgia, New York, Illinois and Alabama, which passed its hands-free law in 2023. In these states, drivers may use devices only through voice commands or limited touch if the device is mounted on the dashboard or windshield.

Texting while driving is banned for all drivers in 48 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Missouri only prohibits texting for drivers under 21, and Montana has no statewide texting ban.

For young drivers, 37 states and the District prohibit cellphone use for drivers below certain ages or those with permits or intermediate licenses. Some states, like Texas, Louisiana and Michigan, have additional cellphone bans in school zones or construction areas, where penalties may be higher.

Most insurance companies don't notice distracted driving unless it leads to a police ticket or a crash that's your fault. When this happens, your insurance rates can go up. Many insurers see distracted driving as a serious risk — not as bad as drunk driving, but worse than minor traffic violations, as data shows these behaviors make accidents more likely.

One ticket might raise your premium by 10% to 30%, while several violations or distraction-related crashes could lead to tougher consequences, like your policy not being renewed or fewer coverage choices. Rates and penalties vary by state rules and your provider's policies, so check how your policy handles these issues.

Behind every statistic is a driver, a decision and often a preventable outcome. Learn more about the data to understand where the real risks are.

There's more to road safety and smart driving than avoiding distractions. Check out these other MoneyGeek guides for a broader view of risk, responsibility and coverage.