What causes Distracted Driving
Percentages, Statistics ...Cause and effect
Your decision to speed...
Your decision to play games behind the wheel...
Your decision to drive with your phone in hand...
Your decision to drive distracted...
WILL change someone's live permanently . It will happen to you, it's just a matter of time.
**Information that is released to us in terms of fatalities, percentages and statistics across the United States always lag in time. For example you will see numbers listed on our site from 2021-2022 listed in 2023 accounting for numbers coming out of 2022. The numbers rolling out for 2024 are just now beginning to roll out as of February 2025, with adjusted and final numbers being released sometime during the summer. We will update our site accordingly, those who are signed up to receive our emails, will be notified when the final numbers are posted. **
The beginning of the roll outs for 2024 have arrived, it's not good. If you have been effected by distracted driving, if someone you love has been effected and or if you have a new driver on the road...You are going to want to read what we have to share.
*As of the end of 2024, in the state of Arizona there are 5,911,444 people with current drivers licenses.
*669,000 drivers admit to using a cell phone behind the wheel while driving -During sun up hours.
*Distracted Driving accounts for 58% of teen crashes.
*In 2015 Distracted Driving was indicated as the cause for 3,477 deaths (Estimate is low due to people not being honest) In the same year ...Distracted Driving was the cause of 391,000 injuries across the United States.
*Distracted Driving deaths are under reported because there is no way to prove it unless the driver admits to fault.*
*It only takes 3 seconds of taking your eyes off the road to crash your vehicle.
*Car crashes in general, across the United States kills more teenagers than anything else in America.
*Teens 16-19 years of age are three times more likely to die in a car accident than any other age group.
*Distracted Driving has been called the new "drunk driving" with it being statistically now 6 to 7 times more dangerous than drunk driving.
*Distracted Driving holds the same psychological pattern as drunk driving: Drivers will drive distracted until they are caught or until they crash.
*80% of drivers confess to Distracted Driving manners (or lack thereof) such as changing clothes, driving using a knee to hold the steering wheel, painting nails, shaving, applying make up and this doesn't even include texting and driving or phone use in any manner and driving!
*Even though drunk driving fatalities have decreased; the numbers of car accident deaths have not DUE to Distracted Driving.
*Changing the radio volume or adjusting the air/heat accounts for 2% of Distracted Driving fatalities.
*Driving and being distracted by other people in the car accounts for 5% of Distracted Driving fatalities.
*When a teen drives with 3 or more people in their car, the risk of them dying in a car accident doubles.
*62% of Distracted Driving accidents are the result of the driver losing mental focus.
*80% of car accidents are caused BY Distracted Driving.
*Your attention span on the road decreases by 40% when you listen to music or podcasts while driving.
*Parents who discipline their children when behind the wheel, taking their eyes off the road for an average TOTAL of 3 minutes and 22 seconds during a 16 minute car ride equals more than a fifth of the trip.
*53% of drivers who use the "Infotainment" in their vehicles, such as the touch screen panels, multi tasking behind the wheel and believe it is safe to use, however it's not as safe as car company marketing leads us to believe. The proof is in the numbers.
*NHTSA says that eating and drinking while driving increases the likelihood of an accident by 80%
*Reading a text while driving on average takes drivers eyes off the road for 5 seconds.
*Cell phones lead to car accidents, 1.6 million annually across the United States.
*11 teens die daily from texting and driving.
*94% of teens in the United States acknowledge the dangers of texting and driving. Only 35% of those admitted in the poll that they text and drive.
*25% of teens in the United States admit to answering a text every time that they drive.
*One fifth of teens and one tenth of parents admit to having stretched out text conversations while driving.
*A survey observed that 96% of respondents cited themselves as safe drivers yet 56% confessed that they use a phone while driving.
*Texting and driving results in 400% more time with drivers eyes off the road. 77% of adults and 55% of teen drivers in the United States think that they can manage to text and drive successfully.
*Teens that text and drive will cross over lanes 10% of their total drive time.
*A University of Utah study found that the reaction time of a teen on their phone is comparable to that of a 70 year old woman NOT on their phone.
*82% of teens in the United States have a cell phone, 52% of them admit to talking on the phone while driving and 32% admit to texting while driving.
*Drivers are 12.2 times more likely to be in a car accident while dialing a phone number.
*Distracted Driving and hands free driving are the same thing.
*A hands free device can keep you distracted for at least 27 seconds after you use it.
ZEBRA POLLING from 2024 reports the following on Distracted Driving Accidents in the United States:
60.2% of Respondents reported that they would talk on the phone while driving.
47% Respondents Reported sending or receiving a text while driving.
40% Respondents Reported Driving and using a phone app
59% Respondents Reported Adjusting their GPS while driving
59% Respondents Reported Eating and drinking while driving
11% Respondents Reported Applying make up and driving
22% Respondents Reported Taking a photo or video while driving
*Reaching for an item behind the wheel increases a drivers risk of crashing by 800% (If it can't wait...Pull over.)
Arizona law mandates hands free cell use while driving. AZ REV. STAT 28-914 (Holding, supporting a device, texting, scrolling behind the wheel) violating these laws leads to fines ranging from $75.00 - $250.00. Serious accidents can result in up to 6 months in jail and $2,500.00 in fines. However, the average fine for a first time texting and driving violation (no accident) is $100.00.
If we want to talk about legal fines and economic impact...
Drivers with their first DUI typically receive a fine of $1500.00 and that's just the beginning of the hoops they will have to jump through. However drivers CAN receive a fine of "Up too $500" for a first time Distracted Driving offense (Ticket, no accident or fatality). As previously mentioned it seems that the typical first offense fine is around $100.00.
Meanwhile the economic impact on society is close for both with Distracted Driving costing 40 billion (Yes, billion with a B) a year. DUI's are costing a whopping 44 billion a year!
In 2022, 35% of motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes were due to speeding. Motorcyclists ages 21-24 involved in fatal crashes had the highest speeding involvement at 51%.
Seatbelts reduce related injuries from a crash by approximately 50%
Ages 18-34 years of age are less likely to wear their seatbelt than adults 35 and over.
States with primary belt enforcement have 87% seatbelt usage compared to states with secondary enforcement or no seatbelt laws coming in at 79% usage.
AAA Foundation
NHTSA
Distraction.org
Maricopa County District Attorney's office