Texting and Driving Statistics: You May Not Grab Your Phone While Behind The Wheel Ever Again!

Most people are guilty of texting and driving, whether it is texting while driving on the highway or maybe sending a quick text while at a red light. Regardless, texting has become such a norm for our society, it seems like an easy thing to do. However, texting and driving brings so many different factors into the mix, so these texting and driving statistics will shine a new light on this growing issue.

Texting and Driving statistics

The Dangers of Texting and Driving

When people think of distracted driving, they think of texting and driving only. However, there are many other examples of distracted driving, which we hit on before. We will focus on the texting while driving aspect of things for this article, as there are different types of distractions that factor into the mix when a driver is texting and driving.

  • Manual – The driver is taking their hand (or hands) off the wheel.
  • Visual – The driver is taking their eyes off the road to send the text.
  • Cognitive – The driver is not fully focused on the road and driving safe, as they are thinking about their phone and the text.

As DMV.org reports, reading or sending a text messages takes an average of five seconds to complete. When a car is driving 55 mph, it can cover the full length of a football field in those five seconds! Now think about it. Imagine your eyes off the road while traveling the length of a football field!

Texting and Driving is Illegal

While we all focus on the dangers of distracted driving, we should also acknowledge that it is also illegal. As of January 2018, there are 43 states that fully ban texting while driving. The shift has definitely been going to states putting a full ban in place. We should expect the other states to join this movement soon enough.

With these full bans in place, the penalties for texting and driving can include hefty fines, license suspension, a rise in auto insurance rates and even prison time. Besides being illegal, it can also put you at a greater risk of causing a car accident than drinking and driving! A 2014 study found that driving with a BAC of just 0.01% increases your chances of causing a car crash by 46%. With that shocking stat in mind, remember that texting and driving while behind the wheel puts the driver at a greater risk of causing an accident than drinking and driving, so that 46% would be even higher!

Texting and Driving Statistics

It is now time to shed some light on the dangers (and reality) of texting while driving. According to DMV.org, these are some texting and driving statistics for the United States.

  • In 2014, 26% of all car crashes involved cell phone use.
  • The CDC reported in 2015 that at least nine people are killed every day because of a distracted driver.
  • In 2015 also, the CDC reported that more than 1,000 people are injured every day due to a distracted driver.
  • The National Safety Council reported that 42% of teens have said they have texted while driving in 2015. 
  • The NSC also reported that texting and driving was the leading cause of death in teens in 2015.