Updated May 5, 2026
Americans are highly aware of the perils of texting and driving. Still, despite most people acknowledging the dangers of sending texts taking phone calls, and checking email while driving, many people choose to do so anyway.
As of 2026, 49 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands ban text messaging for all drivers, according to GHSA.
Federal agencies like the FCC also warn about the risks of distracted driving and encourage drivers to avoid phone use behind the wheel.
Nevertheless, distracted driving accidents at the hands of technology continue to be an issue. Even though the stats on cellphone use while driving are thought to be under-reported by authorities, the data on distracted driving says it all. Latest available NHTSA data shows that in 2024, distracted driving was involved in 3,208 deaths and more than 315,000 injuries in the U.S.
Here at SlickText, we believe mass texting is the key to the future of marketing and professional large-scale communications. With that said, texting must be done responsibly. Take a look at these 35 texting and driving statistics that show how dangerous cell phone use while driving actually is.
Texting and Driving Statistics: Key Findings
- Distracted driving was involved in 3,208 deaths in 2024.
- More than 315,000 people were injured in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2024.
- Distracted driving was involved in 8% of fatal crashes in 2024.
- Sending or reading a text for 5 seconds at 55 mph is like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.
- Texting is especially dangerous because it combines visual, manual, and cognitive distraction.
Teenage Texting and Driving Statistics
Teenage texting and driving statistics show that not enough teens are accepting that it’s impossible to safely operate a motor vehicle and look at your phone at the same time. On top of that, average screen time is increasing with younger generations. Here are some stats on teens and distracted driving that you should know.
- SMS statistics show that people respond to text messages almost instantly. In fact, 9 out of 10 teens expect a reply to a text or email within five minutes or less. This encourages teens to respond to texts while driving.
- Teens who text and drive spend 10% of their time driving outside their lane.
- Teens make up the largest age group reported as distracted in fatal crashes.
- 77% of teens say that adults instruct them not to text or email while driving, while adults themselves do it “all the time.”
- Six percent of all drivers involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crashes. Eight percent of drivers 15 to 19 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of the fatal crashes.
- Though 97% of teens marked “agree” that texting while driving is dangerous, 43% do it anyway.
- Teens whose parents drive distracted are as much as 2 to 4 times more likely to also drive distracted.
- More than 58% of teen crashes are due to driver distraction.
Shocking Distracted Driving Statistics
Even if you acknowledge that texting and driving is a problem, these statistics might shock you. There is no nationwide texting or phone usage ban associated with operating a motor vehicle. That being said, some states have passed laws banning the act.
- As of 2024, 36 states and D.C. have banned cell phone use, both texting, and calling, by novice drivers.
- As of 2024, 25 states and D.C. have banned cell phone use for school bus drivers.
- 38% of respondents (aged 18-24) rated their knowledge of their state’s own laws about texting & driving as “very familiar.”
- 55% of these same respondents thought it was illegal to text while driving in all 50 states.
- Texting while driving makes a crash up to 23 times more likely.
- 48% of those surveyed said they thought driving under the influence of alcohol was about as dangerous as texting and driving.
- According to the National Occupant Protection Use Survey, women are more likely than men to use their cell phones while driving.
- According to research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, voice-activated in-car technologies undermine driver attention to a dangerous degree.
- During the daytime, more than 800,000 drivers use phones behind the wheel.
- If you use a cell phone, you are 5.36 times more likely to get into an accident than undistracted drivers.
- Driving and talking on a cell phone results in the same impairment as driving intoxicated at the legal blood-alcohol limit of 0.08%.
- The minimal time of attention a texting driver takes away from the road is five seconds. This equals the length of a standard football field spent looking away from the road if the driver is traveling at 55 mph.
Driver Denial in Distracted Driving
Even though most people understand the dangers of distracted driving, many still underestimate how often they engage in it themselves. Texting remains one of the most dangerous behaviors behind the wheel, but it’s far from the only risk. Scrolling social media, checking notifications, watching videos, using navigation apps, and even recording content can all take your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, and your attention away from driving. These everyday habits contribute to some of the most alarming distracted driving statistics. Take a closer look.
- Despite 84% of drivers recognizing cell phone distractions while driving as “unacceptable,” 36% of the same drivers admit to reading email or sending a text message while driving in the previous month.
- 20% of drivers aged 18-20 said texting does not influence their driving ability, and nearly 30% of drivers ages 21-34 said texting has no impact at all on their driving ability.
- In 2024, 47% of adults admitted to texting while driving.
- The number of iphone users who text whil dr
- Of those who admitted to texting while driving, 51% said they were “very” or “extremely” familiar with their state’s texting and driving laws.
- 60% of respondents said they were likely to use a GPS app while driving.
- Only 7% of respondents who said they were likely to use GPS apps while driving also indicated they thought it was more dangerous than using a cell phone to text.
- 19% of drivers across age groups admit to being on the internet while driving.
- According to a study done by Texas A&M Transportation Institute, voice-to-text offers no safety advantage over texting manually.
Texting and Driving Death Statistics
The correlation between distracted driving and road accidents resulting in fatalities is strong. You may have asked yourself “How many people die from texting and driving?” Here are some fatality statistics to make you think twice about looking at your phone when you’re behind the wheel.
- In 2024, 3,208 people were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers, accounting for about 8% of all fatal crashes that year (NHTSA).
- About 8% of fatal crashes in 2024 were reported as distraction-affected crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
- More than 315,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2024 (NHTSA).
- A significant share of distracted-driving fatalities involved non-occupants, including pedestrians and bicyclists (NHTSA).
- Texting and other cell phone use remain among the most dangerous distractions because they involve visual, manual, and cognitive attention, as defined by NHTSA.
- On average, distracted driving leads to about 9 deaths and over 1,000 injuries per day in the United States (NHTSA).
Ways to Prevent Distracted Driving/Texting and Driving
The data says it all, but there are some ways you can prevent distracted driving. Organizations like the National Safety Council recommend putting your phone out of reach, using Do Not Disturb mode, and focusing only on driving.
- Turn off your notifications while driving to avoid unnecessary distractions.
- Pull over if you need to make a call or send a text.
- Install a phone holder in your car to keep your GPS at eye level while driving.
For businesses, this is also a reminder that SMS marketing should be used thoughtfully. Messages should be timely, relevant, and never encourage engagement while someone may be driving. Additonally, businesses must follow SMS compliance rules when sending text messages.
Seemingly small changes in your driving habits could be the difference between life and death. Commit to driving safely — your text messages might be important, but getting to your destination safely is even more important.
Texting and Driving FAQs
What is distracted driving?
Distracted driving is any activity that takes your attention away from driving. This can include texting, talking on the phone, checking notifications, eating, adjusting navigation, or interacting with passengers.
Why is texting and driving so dangerous?
Texting while driving is dangerous because it combines three types of distraction: visual, manual, and cognitive. It takes your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel, and your mind away from driving.
How many people die from distracted driving?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,208 people were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2024.
Is texting while driving illegal?
Texting while driving is illegal in most states, but laws vary by location. Some states ban handheld phone use entirely, while others specifically prohibit texting or restrict phone use for younger drivers.
What are the three types of distracted driving?
The three main types of distracted driving are visual distraction, manual distraction, and cognitive distraction. Visual distractions take your eyes off the road, manual distractions take your hands off the wheel, and cognitive distractions take your mind off driving.
How can you avoid texting while driving?
You can avoid texting while driving by putting your phone on Do Not Disturb, placing it out of reach, setting navigation before you start driving, asking a passenger to respond for you, or pulling over safely before using your phone.