Distracted Driving
The third most unsafe driving practice contributing to vehicle highway fatalities in the United States is distracted driving.
Distracted Driving - AAA
This includes activities that divert attention from driving, such as texting, using a phone, eating, or adjusting in-vehicle systems. Distracted driving is responsible for approximately 9% of all traffic fatalities. This practice is particularly dangerous because it reduces the driver's awareness of their surroundings, leading to delayed reaction times and an increased likelihood of accidents.
Driving distractions fall into one of three categories:
- Manual: Anything that involves taking your hands off the wheel.
- Visual: Actions that take your eyes off the road.
- Cognitive: Activities that take your mind off driving.
Texting
Texting claimed 3,142 of those lives in 2022. Texting is considered by NHTSA to be the most dangerous form of distraction because it involves all three types of distraction (hands, eyes, and mind) above. Consequently, most states have declared texting to be illegal when operating a moving vehicle.
According to the NHTSA, 3.1% of drivers were observed using handheld cell phones to text or otherwise manipulate their phones while driving at any given moment during daylight hours, but a larger percentage of drivers admit to texting while driving. .
You cannot drive safely unless the task of driving has your full attention. Any non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction and increases your risk of crashing.
Click on the button to see a list of examples of distracted driving behaviors that increase the likelihood that you'll have an accident.
- Being cognitively distracted or "lost in thought"
- Rubbernecking or staring at something of interest such as a person, object, or event
- Talking and looking at other vehicle occupants
- Reaching for devices, coffee, food, or cell phones
- Eating or drinking
- Adjusting vehicle devices/controls such as rearview mirrors, radios, climate controls, or seats
- Disruptive objects such as pets or insects in the vehicle
- Smoking, lighting up, putting ashes in the ashtray
You can review the distracted driving laws in your state by visiting the Governor's Highway Safety Association's Distracted Driving website.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-4. Why is using the cellphone, especially texting, considered the most dangerous type of distraction while driving?
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