Distracted Driving Statistics & Texting and Driving Statistics: The Complete US Report
At 55 mph, sending a text message takes your eyes off the road long enough to cover the length of a football field. This report compiles the latest US distracted driving statistics and texting and driving statistics from NHTSA, the CDC, and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute — covering deaths, injuries, age groups, laws by state, and the real per-mile crash risk of phone use behind the wheel.
How many people die from distracted driving each year?
NHTSA recorded 3,308 deaths from distracted driving in 2022 — about 9 per day — plus an estimated 424,000 injuries. Most researchers consider these numbers a significant undercount: distraction is hard to prove after a crash without cell-phone records or witness statements.
Distracted driving statistics account for roughly 8% of all US traffic fatalities. Among teen drivers, the share is closer to 9% of teen fatal crashes, making phones the single biggest preventable risk factor for newly licensed drivers.
US distracted driving deaths by year
Reported distracted-driving deaths are likely undercounted — phones are hard to prove post-crash.
How many crashes are caused by texting and driving?
NHTSA attributes roughly 1 in 4 car crashes (26%) to cell phone use, with texting and driving the most dangerous subtype. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that texting makes a crash 23x more likely than normal driving — higher than drunk driving (7x) or marijuana use (2x).
What percentage of drivers text while driving?
Surveys consistently show about 36% of US adults read text messages while driving, and around 20% admit to sending texts. Among drivers aged 16–24, the numbers climb to nearly 50%. Even "hands-free" phone conversations carry a crash risk roughly 4x higher than driving undistracted, because the distraction is cognitive, not just visual.
Top causes of driver distraction in fatal crashes
Cell phones dominate public conversation, but other cognitive distractions contribute just as much.
How long do your eyes leave the road when texting?
The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute measured average eyes-off-road time during a text message at 4.6 seconds. At 55 mph, that covers 360 feet — the length of an entire football field including the end zones. The human brain cannot safely process that much blind travel: even a 2-second glance doubles the crash risk.
How many teens die from distracted driving?
Teen drivers are the age group most affected by distracted driving statistics: about 9% of all teen fatal crashes involve distraction, compared to roughly 8% across all age groups. Surveys find 39% of teen drivers text while driving at least sometimes, and 1 in 10 of those texts are sent while moving at highway speed.
How many states ban texting while driving?
48 states plus DC ban texting while driving. Missouri and Montana are the only states without a universal texting ban as of 2024, though Missouri limits the ban to drivers under 21. 28 states ban all hand-held phone use while driving. Fines range from $20 in the most lenient states to over $500 in New York and California for repeat offenses.
How much does distracted driving increase your crash risk?
The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute's naturalistic driving studies — where researchers installed cameras in real cars and watched actual crashes happen — found:
- Texting: 23x higher crash risk
- Reaching for a phone: 7x higher crash risk
- Dialing a phone: 6x higher crash risk
- Hands-free phone conversation: 4x higher crash risk
- Eating or drinking: 2x higher crash risk
Frequently asked questions
How many people die from distracted driving each year in the US?
About 3,308 people died from distracted driving in 2022 according to NHTSA, with an estimated 424,000 additional injuries. Most researchers consider these numbers an undercount.
How many crashes are caused by texting and driving?
NHTSA attributes about 1 in 4 crashes (26%) to cell phone use. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that texting makes a crash 23x more likely than undistracted driving.
What percentage of drivers text while driving?
About 36% of US adults read texts while driving and 20% admit to sending them. Among drivers aged 16–24, nearly 50% admit to texting behind the wheel.
How long do your eyes leave the road when texting?
An average of 4.6 seconds per text according to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute — at 55 mph, that covers 360 feet, roughly the full length of a football field.
How many teens die from distracted driving?
About 9% of all teen fatal crashes involve distraction, slightly higher than the 8% rate across all age groups. 39% of teen drivers admit to texting while driving at least sometimes.
How many states ban texting while driving?
48 states plus DC ban texting while driving. Missouri and Montana are the only states without a universal texting ban. 28 states ban all hand-held phone use while driving.
Is hands-free phone use safer while driving?
Safer than texting, but not safe. Hands-free phone conversations still carry roughly 4x the crash risk of undistracted driving, because the distraction is cognitive, not just visual.
Is distracted driving as dangerous as drunk driving?
Texting and driving is more dangerous per mile than drunk driving according to Virginia Tech: texting carries a 23x crash risk increase versus about 7x for drunk driving.
Sources & methodology
All statistics in this report are compiled from official US government agencies and peer-reviewed research organizations. Figures reflect the most recent full-year data available at time of publication.
States in this report
Run a free license plate lookup for any state mentioned above — vehicle data, open recalls, and NHTSA safety ratings.
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