Distracted driving continues to fuel severe car crashes and injuries because, despite laws prohibiting activities that can lead to this deadly behavior, many drivers still engage in it. They allow their visual, manual, and cognitive abilities to become compromised, resulting in an inability to react safely, particularly if sudden hazards appear or occur.
Indeed, the latest available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that in 2024, distracted driving claimed 3,208 lives. It also resulted in 315,167 people sustaining injuries during the same year.
What Does Distracted Driving Mean?
Distracted driving is the act of multitasking, combining driving with another activity. The problem is that driving isn't something one can or should do in conjunction with another activity, as doing both at the same time diverts attention from driving and the road.
Distracted driving is a dangerous behavior, having the potential to significantly increase one's risk of causing or getting into a motor vehicle crash (MVC).
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), for instance, cited data from an NHTSA report released in April 2026, stating that distracted driving accounted for 13% of injury crashes and 12% of all police-reported MVCs in 2024. It also noted that this behavior affected 8% of all fatal crashes during that year.
What Are the Types of Driving Distractions?
Anything that makes a driver divert their attention from driving is a distraction. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the three primary types of driving distractions include:
- Visual
- Manual
- Cognitive
Visual Distractions
Visual distractions are anything that causes a driver to take their eyes off the road. An example is when they glance at their phone mounted to the side of the steering wheel after receiving an email or text message.
Manual Distractions
Manual distractions are activities that force a driver to take their hands off the steering wheel. An example is texting and driving at the same time, such as when a driver decides to pick up their phone to read and reply to an email or text message.
Cognitive Distractions
Cognitive distractions can be anything that makes a driver think about something other than driving. Cellphone use while driving is a perfect example.
Using a cellphone can even be a combination of all three types of distractions while driving, because, first, its use requires a person to look at it. It's also a manual distraction; the driver would have to use their hands to pick it up, hold it, and operate it.
Reading a message, texting, or making/receiving a call while driving can be a cognitive distraction, too, as doing any of this consumes cognitive resources, pulling the brain's attention away from driving.
Why and How Does Distracted Driving Continue to Fuel Severe Car Crashes and Injuries?
Distracted driving continues to fuel severe car crashes and injuries because, even though motorists know they should put their entire focus on driving, some still tend to become distracted by activities other than driving. Even with laws prohibiting drivers from becoming distracted by phone or tech use, MVCs still occur as a result of non-adherence.
U.S. Drivers Admit to Engaging in Distracted Driving
According to the online automotive publication CarScoops.com, a new survey from Mercury Insurance revealed that Americans admit to engaging in an average of 10 distracted driving behaviors every year. Conversely, only a shocking 8% of drivers said they avoided the distractions listed in the survey.
In the same poll, 68% of Americans said they're confident in their ability to multitask while driving.
Unfortunately, such confidence is dangerous. The brain can't focus on two tasks that demand high levels of cognition, such as operating a motor vehicle and texting or speaking to someone on the phone.
Distracted Driving Impairs Awareness and Delays Reaction Times
Distracted driving causes and contributes to severe car crashes and injuries by impairing drivers' situational awareness and delaying their reaction times.
With a person's attention divided between two or more tasks, the brain becomes unable to process their surroundings. One's ability to react, such as when the need for sudden braking arises, slows, leading to possible crashes and severe injuries.
What Victims Should Do After Getting Involved in a Distracted Driving Incident
One of the first things victims of distracted driving incidents should do is immediately check themselves for any injuries. If they've sustained any, the next step is to call 911.
If possible, victims must also:
- Document the scene with photos and videos
- Share contact details with witnesses
- Request an official police report
- Seek immediate medical attention
Victims should also consider reaching out to a personal injury attorney before dealing with insurers. Without one, they're at risk of facing poor settlements or more complications, as noted by this page discussing trusted Fairfax injury lawyer services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Biggest Cause of Distracted Driving?
Cellphone use is one of, if not the biggest, causes of distracted driving. Using navigation devices is another common culprit.
Interacting with other passengers can also contribute to distracted driving, and the potential motor vehicle crashes it can cause. Eating while driving can do the same.
How Can Motorists Avoid Distracted Driving?
Drivers can avoid distractions by preparing for the trip before they start the engine and programming destinations into navigation systems. Doing so eliminates the need for them to tinker with their GPS while they're already operating the vehicle.
Motorists should also turn their cellphones' "Do Not Disturb" mode on. It can help prevent distractions, as this feature prevents any incoming text messages, email messages, calls, and other notifications from getting through and making the phone light up, vibrate, or make a sound.
Securing loose items also minimizes distractions that can arise if they were to fall over. It can even help reduce the risk of these objects turning into dangerous projectiles during sudden stops or a potential collision.
Avoid Becoming Part of Distracted Driving Statistics
Distracted driving is dangerous, triggering motor vehicle collisions that can cause severe injuries, even deaths. All that should be a good enough reason for drivers to avoid all distractions, from visual to manual to cognitive, as it's not only their lives on the line but also the lives of everyone they share the roads with.
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