Texting and Driving Accident Statistics 2024

The latest texting and driving statistics reveal startling numbers about the dangers of this behavior. While smartphones have made it easy for us to stay connected at all times, they can pose serious safety risks if someone decides to check their text messages, emails, phone calls, social media pages or any other mobile applications while driving.

The following facts about texting and driving demonstrate why this behavior is so dangerous on our roads. Let’s examine the most recent texting and driving statistics to understand the scope of this issue.

2023 Texting and Distracted Driving Accident Statistics

When considering how many car crashes occur each year, it's alarming to note that the National Safety Council reports approximately 1.6 million crashes are caused annually by drivers using cell phones and texting.

In fact, at any given time throughout the day, approximately 660,000 drivers are attempting to use their phones while behind the wheel of an automobile according to an NHTSA Survey.

Facts About Texting and Driving and Distracted Driving Statistics

• Around 3,000 people die in accidents involving a distracted driver each year. (CDC)
• Answering a text takes away your attention for about five seconds. Traveling at 55 mph, that's enough time to travel the length of a football field. (NHTSA)
• A National survey on distracted driving showed almost 1 in 10 respondents reporting sending texts or emails while driving at least sometimes where about 1 in 12 reported using some smartphone app that was not a navigation app. (NHTSA)
• From 2011 to 2021 crashes involving cell phone use on average accounted for about 13 percent of fatal crashes involving distractions yearly. (NSC)
• Roughly 93 percent of drivers consider hand-held cell phone use as dangerous, however 27 percent have reported sending a text/email while driving and 38 percent reported reading a text/email while driving. (AAA)
• From 2013 to 2022, over 1.2 million crashes took place in PA alone with over 130,000 of them being attributed to some form of distracted driving and 573 being categorized as fatal with 1765 deaths recorded according to PennDOT’s Pennsylvania Crash Information Tool website.
• As of April 2023, in 24 states and the District of Columbia the use of hand-held devices has been banned for all drivers, while 48 states and the District of Columbia have banned texting while driving. (NSC)
• Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers participating in interstate commerce cannot use “hand-held mobile telephones,” or engage in texting, while driving a commercial motor vehicle (FMCSR)

Teen Driver Statistics

Teen-specific texting and driving statistics show a concerning trend among young drivers:

• 39 percent of High School students surveyed admitted to texting or emailing while driving. (CDC)
• 4 in 10 teens aged 12-17 have reported riding with a driver who used their cell phone in a way that put themselves or others in danger. (Pew Research Center)
• Teen drivers ages 15-17 are 21 percent less likely to be involved in a fatal crash when no passengers are with them (NHTSA)

Below, we will continue to add previous year’s data about texting and driving. Reviewing this archived data shows how the problem has evolved over time.

2022 Distracted Driving Statistics

Fatalities from Distracted Driving:

• Distracted driving resulted in 3,308 deaths in 2022. This data underscores the deadly consequences of distracted driving (NHTSA).

People Injured in Distracted Driving Crashes:

• An estimated 289,310 people were injured in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2022. These injuries range from minor to severe, illustrating the broad impact of distracted driving (NHTSA).

Vulnerable Road Users Killed:

• Distracted driving also significantly affects vulnerable road users, with 621 pedestrians, cyclists, and other non-occupants killed in 2022. This highlights the broader impact of distracted driving beyond just vehicle occupants. (NHTSA)

Teens Admitting to Texting While Driving:

• Among teen drivers, 39% admitted to texting while driving. This demographic remains particularly vulnerable to the risks of distracted driving, necessitating targeted education and enforcement efforts. (CDC)

2021 Distracted Driving Statistics

• Distractions were found to be present in 8 percent of fatal crashes, 14 percent of injury crashes, and 13 percent of all police-reported motor-vehicle crashes.
• 3,521 people were killed (12 % increase from 2020) and an estimated additional 362,415 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents involving distracted drivers.
• 644 nonoccupants were killed in accidents with a distracted driver.
• 5 percent of all drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents reported being distracted at the time of the crash and 7 percent of drivers ages 15-20 years old involved in a fatal crash were reported as distracted making this group the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of a fatal crash.

2020 Distracted Driving Statistics

• Distractions were found to be present in 8 percent of fatal crashes, 14 percent of injury crashes, and 13 percent of all police-reported motor-vehicle crashes.
• 3,142 people were killed and an estimated additional 324,652 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents involving distracted drivers (23% decrease from 2019).
• 587 nonoccupants were killed in accidents with a distracted driver.
• 6 percent of all drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents reported being distracted at the time of the crash and 7 percent of drivers ages 15-20 years old involved in a fatal crash were reported as distracted making this group the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of a fatal crash.

2019 Distracted Driving Statistics

• Distractions were found to be present in 9 percent of fatal crashes, 15 percent of injury crashes, and 15 percent of all police-reported motor-vehicle crashes.
• 3,142 people were killed and an estimated additional 424,000 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents involving distracted drivers.
• 566 nonoccupants were killed in accidents with a distracted driver.
• 6 percent of all drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents reported being distracted at the time of the crash and 9 percent of drivers ages 15-20 years old involved in a fatal crash were reported as distracted making this group the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of a fatal crash.
• The economic cost of motor vehicle crashes was estimated to be $340 billion of which $98 billion was attributed to distracted driving.

2018 Distracted Driving Statistics

• Distractions were found to be present in 8 percent of fatal crashes, 15 percent of injury crashes, and 14 percent of all police-reported motor-vehicle crashes.
• 2,841 people were killed and an estimated additional 400,000 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents involving distracted drivers.
• 506 nonoccupants were killed in accidents with a distracted driver.
• 5 percent of all drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle accidents reported being distracted at the time of the crash and 8 percent of drivers ages 15-20 years old involved in a fatal crash were reported as distracted making this group the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of a fatal crash.
• 349 fatal crashes were reported to have involved cell phone use which translates to 13 percent of all fatal crashes involving distractions.

For statistics from 2017 and before, check out our Past Cell Phone and Driving Statistics.

Injured by a Texting Driver? Contact Us Today

• As cell phone use and driving becomes a national problem, the chances of being involved in a car accident with a distracted driver increase. If you're ever injured by the carelessness of another driver, contact our law firm for a free consultation.
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