NTSB again urging phone manufacturers to install lock-outmechanisms after a deadly crash in Wisconsin
WASHINGTON (July 1, 2025) – The National Transportation Safety Board issued a safety alert Tuesday on distracted driving following a recent investigation of a fatal crash in Wisconsin linked to cell phone use while driving.
Also on Tuesday, the NTSB released the final report for the Wisconsin investigation that occurred in Excelsior on May 12, 2023. In that crash, a 17-year-old pickup truck driver failed to stop in time for a stopped school bus and struck and killed a 13-year-old student waiting to board. The investigation determined the driver did not react in time because he was texting on his cell phone while driving.
The new safety alert outlines steps that drivers, passengers and message senders should taketo avoid distracted driving, such as using “Do Not Disturb” or “Driving Focus” phone settings to prevent distraction while driving and not calling or texting someone you know is driving.
As part of the Wisconsin investigation, the NTSB is reiterating its 2020 recommendation that cell phone manufacturers install lock-out mechanisms that automatically disable distracting features while driving. The NTSB is also recommending that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration develop new driver distraction guidelines on the design of current in-vehicle, portable, and aftermarket electronic devices.
There were 64,979 crashes involving drivers using cell phones in 2023, resulting in 397deaths. Research has shown that drivers who text are more than twice as likely to be involvedin a crash than drivers who are not distracted. 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.
The safety alert and the Excelsior, Wisconsin, investigation report are available on the NTSB’s website.
To report an incident/accident or if you are a public safety agency, please call 1-844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290 to speak to a Watch Officer at the NTSB Response Operations Center (ROC) in Washington, DC (24/7).
