Four in five Americans involved in distracted driving car crash
Most Americans have been involved in a car crash due to distracted driving, according to online company Compare the Market.
A survey conducted by Compare the Market reveals that four in five, or 80% of Americans have been in a car crash where distracted driving was a factor. The survey uses a broad definition of distracted driving, including such factors as weather.
The top 10 biggest distractions for American drivers are:
- Weather conditions (41%)
- Eating or drinking (33%)
- Dealing with children or pets (32%)
- Writing or reading a text message with phone in hand (29%)
- Phoning with device in hand (27%)
- Other passengers in the car (24%)
- Being lost in thoughts, ideas and problems (22%)
- Mess within the car (22%)
- Outside person, object or event (20%)
- Drowsy driving (18%)
The top three vehicles involved in distracted-driving crashes are the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Toyota Camry, according to the survey.
Approximately 13% of U.S. drivers stated that their vehicle had been written off due to a distracted-driving incident. The average cost of damage to a vehicle was $1,505.02.
“When driving, there are several internal and external stimuli that can cause us to be distracted, from weather conditions to a mess in the vehicle,” Adrian Taylor, Compare the Market’s general manager of general insurance, said in a statement. “Our research has emphasized the sheer number of potential distractions to drivers; however, it has also been pointed out that despite the well-known hazards of actions like texting while driving, some drivers continue to engage in them.”
Distracted driving getting worse
Earlier this year, a new study suggested that distracted driving is increasing.
The report released by Cambridge Mobile Telematics, called “The State of Distracted Driving in 2023 and the Future of Road Safety,” said distracted driving increased by 20% from 2020 to 2022.
Two key metrics, phone motion and screen interaction, went up 21% and 23%, respectively. The worst offenders are more than 240% more likely to crash than the safest drivers. LL
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