GITNUXREPORT 2026

Driver Distractions Statistics

Distracted driving causes thousands of deaths and millions in damages every year.

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

Eating a burger takes 2 seconds per bite, eyes off road

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Reaching for phone in passenger seat takes 5 seconds at 60 mph

Statistic 3

Drinking coffee spills distract 80% of drivers tested

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Adjusting seatbelt mid-drive occurs in 15% trips

Statistic 5

Talking to passengers increases glance away by 2 seconds

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Lighting cigarette takes 4.2 seconds attention

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Shaving face requires 10+ seconds eyes off road

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Pet distractions like dog in lap affect 10% of pet owners

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Child passenger tantrums distract 55% of parents

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Tuning radio knobs demands 5 glances average

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Brushing hair takes 12 seconds full attention

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Folding clothes or maps distracts for 20 seconds

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28% of drivers eat sandwiches weekly while driving

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Diaper changing in car by 8% of parents

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35% of truckers adjust CB radios frequently

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Applying lipstick averages 7 seconds per application

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19% of drivers discipline kids while driving

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Vaping while driving involves 3-second puffs

Statistic 19

Reading billboards causes 1-second glances 40% of time

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12% of drivers breastfeed infants while driving

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Cleaning windshield mid-trip by 5% of drivers

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In 2022, 3,275 people were killed in the U.S. in crashes involving distracted drivers, representing 8% of all fatal crashes

Statistic 23

Distracted driving claimed 3,308 lives in 2021 according to NHTSA data

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391,000 injuries were caused by distracted driving crashes in 2021 in the U.S.

Statistic 25

Texting while driving increases crash risk by 23 times compared to undistracted driving, per Virginia Tech study

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Drivers using hand-held cell phones are 4 times more likely to be involved in a crash

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In 2020, 32% of U.S. drivers admitted to texting while driving recently, per AAA Foundation

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Distracted driving was a factor in 10% of all police-reported crashes in 2019

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Talking on a cell phone quadruples crash risk equivalent to driving drunk at 0.08 BAC

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66% of fatal teen crashes involve distraction, per NHTSA teen driving stats

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Reaching for an object increases crash risk by 9 times

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In Europe, 25% of accidents are caused by mobile phone distraction, per ETSC

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Distracted drivers cause 25% of all crashes in the UK

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1 in 5 crashes in Australia involves distraction

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Cell phone use contributes to 1.6 million U.S. crashes annually

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Distracted driving costs the U.S. economy $260 billion yearly in damages

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37% of drivers read emails while driving, per State Farm survey

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Hands-free calling still impairs drivers by 2.2 times crash risk

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48% of drivers use phones in low-distraction environments, per Cambridge study

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Distracted driving leads to 8,000 U.S. hospitalizations yearly

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14% of fatal crashes involve texting, per NHTSA estimates

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Drivers under 20 are 4 times more likely to die in distraction crashes

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Males are 1.5 times more likely to die in distraction-related crashes

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Nighttime distraction crashes are 20% more fatal

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Rural roads see 40% higher distraction crash rates

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Interstate highways have 15% of distraction fatalities despite 25% of travel

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Passenger distractions contribute to 11% of crashes

Statistic 48

GPS use distracts for average 40 seconds per interaction

Statistic 49

Radio tuning increases risk by 2 times

Statistic 50

Eating while driving linked to 1.7 times crash risk

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Applying makeup triples crash odds

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60% of young males reach for objects more than females

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Teens 16-19 have 4x distraction crash rate vs older drivers

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Women 2x more likely to apply makeup while driving

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Drivers 25-34 most likely to text at 38%

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Males account for 62% of fatal distraction crashes

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Seniors over 70 distracted by inattention 27% more

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Urban young drivers phone use 50% higher than rural

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Parents with kids under 5 distracted 3x more

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Commercial drivers distracted 9.6% of time vs 2.9% private

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African American drivers text 1.5x more per surveys

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College students phone check 150x daily including driving

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Night shift workers have 22% higher distraction rates

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Low-income drivers multitask more due to time pressure, 45%

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Hispanic drivers 1.3x phone use in multicultural studies

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18-24 females 5x crash risk from phone

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Married drivers distracted less by 15% than singles

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Motorcycle riders glance external 2x more

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New drivers under 1 year exp 3x distraction crashes

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High-mileage commuters distracted 28% more

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LGBTQ+ youth report higher peer pressure distractions, 35%

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40-49 age group peaks eating distractions at 42%

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Disabled drivers use adaptive tech distracting 18% time

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50-64 males lead reaching distractions at 32%

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47% of U.S. adults admit to reading texts while driving recently, per Pew Research

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1 in 4 drivers use phone every time they drive, per Zendrive 2023 report

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37% of drivers eat or drink while driving daily

Statistic 78

30% of drivers admit to last-minute texting before driving

Statistic 79

UK drivers check phones 1.5 million times daily while driving

Statistic 80

62% of drivers use hands-free but still distracted, per RAC survey

Statistic 81

88% of U.S. teens have seen parents use phone while driving

Statistic 82

70% of drivers over 60 adjust radio or climate controls frequently

Statistic 83

25% of drivers daydream for 10-20 seconds at highway speeds

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In Canada, 40% report phone use while driving weekly

Statistic 85

55% of young drivers (18-24) send hands-free messages

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1 in 3 U.S. drivers admits to emailing while driving

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42% of drivers reach for objects 2-3 times per trip

Statistic 88

20% of drivers sing or talk to passengers causing distraction

Statistic 89

Australian drivers glance at phones 12 seconds per minute on average

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65% of parents use phones with kids in car

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31% of drivers adjust mirrors or seats while moving

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Heavy truck drivers distracted 54% of crash seconds pre-impact

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75% of Singapore drivers admit to phone use

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28% of drivers report rubbernecking at scenes weekly

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35% of U.S. drivers multitask with navigation apps

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50% of millennials post social media while driving

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18% of drivers eat fast food regularly while driving

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40% of fleet drivers use phones despite bans

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22% of drivers admit to self-grooming behind wheel

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In 2023, 79% of drivers observed distracted by screens, per observational study

Statistic 101

Texting takes eyes off road for 5 seconds at 55 mph, covering football field blind

Statistic 102

Hand-held phone use makes drivers react 50% slower

Statistic 103

Voice-to-text increases cognitive load by 135%, per AAA study

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Smartphone notifications glance lasts 0.5-2 seconds

Statistic 105

98% of drivers reach for phone when it rings

Statistic 106

In-car infotainment systems demand 40 glances per use

Statistic 107

Bluetooth calling impairs lane keeping by 20%

Statistic 108

Social media scrolling takes 10+ seconds attention

Statistic 109

GPS rerouting distracts for 18 seconds average

Statistic 110

60% of drivers use phone for music streaming

Statistic 111

E-reading on phone equals 70 mph blind for 8 seconds

Statistic 112

Touchscreen interactions require 15 glances

Statistic 113

Phone mounts reduce but don't eliminate glances by 70%

Statistic 114

Video watching while driving observed in 5% of drivers

Statistic 115

App switching on phone takes 4.5 seconds

Statistic 116

Wireless charging pads cause reaching distractions in 12% cases

Statistic 117

AR windshield tech still demands 2-second glances

Statistic 118

Podcast listening impairs reaction by 9%

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Ride-sharing apps notify 3 times per trip average

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45% of drivers program nav before driving but 20% do while moving

Statistic 121

Tesla Autopilot overreliance causes 20% cognitive distraction

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While it’s easy to think a quick glance at your phone is harmless, consider this stark reality: driver distraction was a direct factor in over 3,000 preventable deaths last year alone, and the shocking statistics behind this modern epidemic reveal why every trip demands our full attention.

Key Takeaways

In 2022, 3,275 people were killed in the U.S. in crashes involving distracted drivers, representing 8% of all fatal crashes
Distracted driving claimed 3,308 lives in 2021 according to NHTSA data
391,000 injuries were caused by distracted driving crashes in 2021 in the U.S.
47% of U.S. adults admit to reading texts while driving recently, per Pew Research
1 in 4 drivers use phone every time they drive, per Zendrive 2023 report
37% of drivers eat or drink while driving daily
Texting takes eyes off road for 5 seconds at 55 mph, covering football field blind
Hand-held phone use makes drivers react 50% slower
Voice-to-text increases cognitive load by 135%, per AAA study
Eating a burger takes 2 seconds per bite, eyes off road
Reaching for phone in passenger seat takes 5 seconds at 60 mph
Drinking coffee spills distract 80% of drivers tested
60% of young males reach for objects more than females
Teens 16-19 have 4x distraction crash rate vs older drivers
Women 2x more likely to apply makeup while driving

Distracted driving causes thousands of deaths and millions in damages every year.

Behavioral

Eating a burger takes 2 seconds per bite, eyes off road
Reaching for phone in passenger seat takes 5 seconds at 60 mph
Drinking coffee spills distract 80% of drivers tested
Adjusting seatbelt mid-drive occurs in 15% trips
Talking to passengers increases glance away by 2 seconds
Lighting cigarette takes 4.2 seconds attention
Shaving face requires 10+ seconds eyes off road
Pet distractions like dog in lap affect 10% of pet owners
Child passenger tantrums distract 55% of parents
Tuning radio knobs demands 5 glances average
Brushing hair takes 12 seconds full attention
Folding clothes or maps distracts for 20 seconds
28% of drivers eat sandwiches weekly while driving
Diaper changing in car by 8% of parents
35% of truckers adjust CB radios frequently
Applying lipstick averages 7 seconds per application
19% of drivers discipline kids while driving
Vaping while driving involves 3-second puffs
Reading billboards causes 1-second glances 40% of time
12% of drivers breastfeed infants while driving
Cleaning windshield mid-trip by 5% of drivers

Behavioral Interpretation

Between the burger bites, spilled coffee, and mid-drive diaper changes, modern driving sometimes resembles a multitasking circus where the main act is tragically forgetting about the road.

Consequences

In 2022, 3,275 people were killed in the U.S. in crashes involving distracted drivers, representing 8% of all fatal crashes
Distracted driving claimed 3,308 lives in 2021 according to NHTSA data
391,000 injuries were caused by distracted driving crashes in 2021 in the U.S.
Texting while driving increases crash risk by 23 times compared to undistracted driving, per Virginia Tech study
Drivers using hand-held cell phones are 4 times more likely to be involved in a crash
In 2020, 32% of U.S. drivers admitted to texting while driving recently, per AAA Foundation
Distracted driving was a factor in 10% of all police-reported crashes in 2019
Talking on a cell phone quadruples crash risk equivalent to driving drunk at 0.08 BAC
66% of fatal teen crashes involve distraction, per NHTSA teen driving stats
Reaching for an object increases crash risk by 9 times
In Europe, 25% of accidents are caused by mobile phone distraction, per ETSC
Distracted drivers cause 25% of all crashes in the UK
1 in 5 crashes in Australia involves distraction
Cell phone use contributes to 1.6 million U.S. crashes annually
Distracted driving costs the U.S. economy $260 billion yearly in damages
37% of drivers read emails while driving, per State Farm survey
Hands-free calling still impairs drivers by 2.2 times crash risk
48% of drivers use phones in low-distraction environments, per Cambridge study
Distracted driving leads to 8,000 U.S. hospitalizations yearly
14% of fatal crashes involve texting, per NHTSA estimates
Drivers under 20 are 4 times more likely to die in distraction crashes
Males are 1.5 times more likely to die in distraction-related crashes
Nighttime distraction crashes are 20% more fatal
Rural roads see 40% higher distraction crash rates
Interstate highways have 15% of distraction fatalities despite 25% of travel
Passenger distractions contribute to 11% of crashes
GPS use distracts for average 40 seconds per interaction
Radio tuning increases risk by 2 times
Eating while driving linked to 1.7 times crash risk
Applying makeup triples crash odds

Consequences Interpretation

These statistics serve as a grim reminder that in the race between our attention and a moment of carelessness, the finish line is too often a tragic crash we could have avoided.

Demographic

60% of young males reach for objects more than females
Teens 16-19 have 4x distraction crash rate vs older drivers
Women 2x more likely to apply makeup while driving
Drivers 25-34 most likely to text at 38%
Males account for 62% of fatal distraction crashes
Seniors over 70 distracted by inattention 27% more
Urban young drivers phone use 50% higher than rural
Parents with kids under 5 distracted 3x more
Commercial drivers distracted 9.6% of time vs 2.9% private
African American drivers text 1.5x more per surveys
College students phone check 150x daily including driving
Night shift workers have 22% higher distraction rates
Low-income drivers multitask more due to time pressure, 45%
Hispanic drivers 1.3x phone use in multicultural studies
18-24 females 5x crash risk from phone
Married drivers distracted less by 15% than singles
Motorcycle riders glance external 2x more
New drivers under 1 year exp 3x distraction crashes
High-mileage commuters distracted 28% more
LGBTQ+ youth report higher peer pressure distractions, 35%
40-49 age group peaks eating distractions at 42%
Disabled drivers use adaptive tech distracting 18% time
50-64 males lead reaching distractions at 32%

Demographic Interpretation

A grimly hilarious tapestry of modern driving reveals that while young men fumble for objects and middle-aged ones snack in record numbers, the fatal distraction crown is still worn by males, proving that regardless of who is applying makeup or texting, the universal passenger remains poor judgment.

Prevalence

47% of U.S. adults admit to reading texts while driving recently, per Pew Research
1 in 4 drivers use phone every time they drive, per Zendrive 2023 report
37% of drivers eat or drink while driving daily
30% of drivers admit to last-minute texting before driving
UK drivers check phones 1.5 million times daily while driving
62% of drivers use hands-free but still distracted, per RAC survey
88% of U.S. teens have seen parents use phone while driving
70% of drivers over 60 adjust radio or climate controls frequently
25% of drivers daydream for 10-20 seconds at highway speeds
In Canada, 40% report phone use while driving weekly
55% of young drivers (18-24) send hands-free messages
1 in 3 U.S. drivers admits to emailing while driving
42% of drivers reach for objects 2-3 times per trip
20% of drivers sing or talk to passengers causing distraction
Australian drivers glance at phones 12 seconds per minute on average
65% of parents use phones with kids in car
31% of drivers adjust mirrors or seats while moving
Heavy truck drivers distracted 54% of crash seconds pre-impact
75% of Singapore drivers admit to phone use
28% of drivers report rubbernecking at scenes weekly
35% of U.S. drivers multitask with navigation apps
50% of millennials post social media while driving
18% of drivers eat fast food regularly while driving
40% of fleet drivers use phones despite bans
22% of drivers admit to self-grooming behind wheel
In 2023, 79% of drivers observed distracted by screens, per observational study

Prevalence Interpretation

It seems we've collectively decided that operating a two-ton vehicle is the perfect time to catch up on emails, rehearse our karaoke, and conduct a messy buffet, all while pretending our fleeting glances away from the road are somehow less dangerous than closing our eyes.

Technology-Related

Texting takes eyes off road for 5 seconds at 55 mph, covering football field blind
Hand-held phone use makes drivers react 50% slower
Voice-to-text increases cognitive load by 135%, per AAA study
Smartphone notifications glance lasts 0.5-2 seconds
98% of drivers reach for phone when it rings
In-car infotainment systems demand 40 glances per use
Bluetooth calling impairs lane keeping by 20%
Social media scrolling takes 10+ seconds attention
GPS rerouting distracts for 18 seconds average
60% of drivers use phone for music streaming
E-reading on phone equals 70 mph blind for 8 seconds
Touchscreen interactions require 15 glances
Phone mounts reduce but don't eliminate glances by 70%
Video watching while driving observed in 5% of drivers
App switching on phone takes 4.5 seconds
Wireless charging pads cause reaching distractions in 12% cases
AR windshield tech still demands 2-second glances
Podcast listening impairs reaction by 9%
Ride-sharing apps notify 3 times per trip average
45% of drivers program nav before driving but 20% do while moving
Tesla Autopilot overreliance causes 20% cognitive distraction

Technology-Related Interpretation

Putting down your phone while driving may seem like a sacrifice, but the statistics are shouting that picking it up means you're volunteering your car, your attention, and a football field's worth of road to be part of a tragically preventable experiment.

Sources & References

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