Data suggests that the evolution of distracted driving is pointing to more people now engaging in this risky behavior than five years ago. Laws on cellphone use have become stricter over the years, but the types of distractions have increased, exposing road users to greater dangers.
Thousands of people still get injured or even die in crashes involving distracted driving. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) notes that in 2024 alone, distracted driving crashes injured 315,167 people and killed at least 3,208 people.
What Are Three Types of Distracted Driving?
The primary types of driving distractions are:
- Visual
- Manual
- Cognitive
Visual distractions refer to anything that causes a driver to take their eyes off the road. It could be their phone lighting up due to an incoming call, text, or email message.
Manual distractions are activities or things that cause a driver to take their hands off the steering wheel. Picking up their phone, tapping away on the infotainment system, or twiddling with vehicle audio system controls are some examples.
Cognitive distractions can be anything that reduces or shifts a driver's focus and attention away from driving. They can take the form of daydreaming or having a conversation with a passenger.
Regardless of the type, distracted driving is one of the most common causes of car accidents, as noted by the Abel Law Firm Tulsa personal injury lawyers. It can cause road incidents that lead to injuries, even fatalities.
What Are the Biggest Causes of Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving statistics show that cellphone use remains one of the biggest causes of this risky driving behavior. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) provides the following distracted driving statistics recently updated in July 2026:
- 1.9% of drivers stopped at intersections talking on hand-held phones
- 5.8% of drivers using hands-free or hand-held cellphones at any time of the day
- 4.5% of drivers observed manipulating hand-held devices
How Different Does Distracted Driving Look Today vs. Five Years Ago?
New distracted driving looks different than it did five years ago, as today's motorists get exposed to more types of distractions.
Before, the primary distraction was the use of a hand-held device. Nowadays, it has evolved into something much more complex, as the distracting impact of technology on driving has taken the form of:
- Touchscreen infotainment systems
- Continuous digital connectivity
- Vehicle-integrated navigation menus
- Voice-command assistants
Even though more states have enacted laws against using hand-held devices, these new regulations aren't always applicable to the above technologies, which are "built-in" vehicle components.
The younger driver population is also contributing to the increase in distracted drivers. As you'll see in these charts from the National Safety Council (NSC), the percentage of young drivers observed manipulating hand-held devices has increased from 4.3% in 2020 to 8.7% in 2024.
Preventing Distracted Driving Should Be a Top Priority
Before, the primary driving distraction was the use of hand-held devices. Today, it has become more complex, as vehicles now come with more technologies.
Given the evolving nature of distracted driving, it has become all the more crucial to stop this behavior. Drivers must put their phones away and focus 100% of their attention on driving.
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