Activities that take drivers’ attention off the road, including talking or texting on cellphones, eating, talking with passengers, adjusting vehicle controls, and other distractions, are major safety threats. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are three main types of distraction:
- visual, taking your eyes off the road;
- manual, taking your hands off the wheel; and
- cognitive, taking your mind off driving.
| |
Crashes |
Drivers |
Fatalities |
| Total fatal crashes |
39,508 |
60,904 |
42,939 |
| Distraction-affected fatal crashes |
|
|
|
| Number of distraction-affected fatal crashes |
3,211 |
3,346 |
3,522 |
| Percent of total fatal crashes |
8% |
5% |
8% |
| Cellphone in use in distraction-affected fatal crashes |
|
|
|
| Number of cellphone distraction-affected fatal crashes |
377 |
382 |
410 |
| Percent of fatal distraction-affected crashes |
12% |
11% |
12% |
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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