SA-100: Cell Phone Use While Driving Kills

Cell Phone Use While Driving Kills

 

The problem

  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Using a cell phone while driving, even hands-free use, is dangerous to yourself and others. Cell phone distraction increases risk because you take your eyes off the road (visual distraction), your hands off the wheel (manual distraction), and your attention off the driving task (cognitive distraction).
  • Drivers who text are more than twice as likely to be involved in a crash than drivers who are not distracted.
  • In 2023, 64,979 crashes involved cell phone use while driving, and 397 people died in crashes where at least one driver was using a cell phone. These crashes and deaths are preventable. 
  • Texting while driving is prohibited in all states except Montana. Using a handheld cell phone while driving is prohibited in 31 states (some exceptions exist for navigation tasks). In addition, many states prohibit cell phone use of any kind by novice drivers, teen drivers, and school bus drivers.​
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Related Investigations

​​Two recent crash investigations highlight the dangers of using a cell phone while driving. In these crashes, the drivers received calls or texts from family members, which led the drivers to use their cell phones and become distracted prior to the crash.   

Excelsior, Wisconsin (HWY23FH012)

​Excelsior, Wisconsin, May 12, 2023 (HWY23FH012)

​​Overhead image of the Excelsior crash scene. (Source: Sauk County Sheriff’s Office; annotated by NTSB)

​A 17-year-old driver operating a pickup truck was traveling behind a school bus at about 54 mph. The bus stopped to pick up students, but the pickup truck driver failed to stop in time. Instead, he braked too late and swerved the truck to the right, sideswiped the right-rear corner of the bus, crossed the paved shoulder onto a private driveway, and struck a 13-year-old student pedestrian waiting to board the bus. The student died, and the pickup truck driver sustained minor injuries. The school bus driver and the 16 student passengers on the school bus were not injured. The pickup truck driver failed to stop because, in the seconds before the crash, he was distracted by a text message exchange on his cell phone. 

Belton, South Carolina (HWY20FH001)

​Belton, South Carolina, December 17, 2019 (HWY20FH001​)

A 53-year-old unbelted driver was driving an SUV at about 75 mph. She crossed the center line of a two-lane roadway and collided with the left side of a medium-size bus. The SUV driver was ejected and fatally injured. A bus passenger died, and the driver and six other passengers on the bus sustained minor to serious injuries. The driver of the SUV was distracted by using her cell phone to talk, place, and receive calls while driving.

Excelsior, Wisconsin (HWY23FH012)

​Excelsior, Wisconsin, May 12, 2023 (HWY23FH012)

​​Overhead image of the Excelsior crash scene. (Source: Sauk County Sheriff’s Office; annotated by NTSB)

​A 17-year-old driver operating a pickup truck was traveling behind a school bus at about 54 mph. The bus stopped to pick up students, but the pickup truck driver failed to stop in time. Instead, he braked too late and swerved the truck to the right, sideswiped the right-rear corner of the bus, crossed the paved shoulder onto a private driveway, and struck a 13-year-old student pedestrian waiting to board the bus. The student died, and the pickup truck driver sustained minor injuries. The school bus driver and the 16 student passengers on the school bus were not injured. The pickup truck driver failed to stop because, in the seconds before the crash, he was distracted by a text message exchange on his cell phone. 

Belton, South Carolina (HWY20FH001)

​Belton, South Carolina, December 17, 2019 (HWY20FH001​)

A 53-year-old unbelted driver was driving an SUV at about 75 mph. She crossed the center line of a two-lane roadway and collided with the left side of a medium-size bus. The SUV driver was ejected and fatally injured. A bus passenger died, and the driver and six other passengers on the bus sustained minor to serious injuries. The driver of the SUV was distracted by using her cell phone to talk, place, and receive calls while driving.

What can you do?

​Drivers:​

  • ​​Focus on driving. Keep your eyes, hands, and mind on operating your vehicle.
  • Before driving, activate the “Do Not Disturb” or “Driving Focus” mode on your cell phone so you will not be disturbed by notifications and calls while driving. These systems are available on most cell phones but require you to turn them on. Parents can use parental controls to manage these systems on their children’s phones. 
  • Pull over to a safe location to read a text or make a call or wait until you reach your destination to look at your cell phone.
  • Be an example to those around you and encourage others not to drive distracted.

Passengers:​

  • ​Let the driver focus on driving.
  • Be the one responsible for any cell phone operation.
  • Answer incoming calls and tell the caller to wait until the driver can exit the road and safely return the call.
  • Help with cell phone-based navigation tools.

Callers, senders of text messages, and others:

  • ​Let the driver focus on driving.
  • Do not send messages or call someone you know is driving.
  • If you discover the person you called or texted is driving, show them you care by is continuing the conversation until the person is no longer driving.

Interested in more information?


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