Driving While Distracted Statistics From Nationwide

Learn about the dangers of driving while distracted (DWD) and cell phone use while driving with helpful information from Nationwide Insurance to assist accident prevention when you're behind the wheel.

A new On Your Side^® survey by Nationwide verifies with concrete data the general assumption that there is strong public support for legislation to restrict cell phone usage while driving.
The results of the new survey show there are varying degrees of support for different types of restrictions.

• 8 in 10 drivers support some type of cell phone usage restriction.
  • The majority of respondents say they are supportive of laws restricting any type of cell phone use while driving.
  • 80 percent respondents support a ban on text messaging while driving.
  • 80 percent of respondents support a ban on e-mailing while driving.
  • Two thirds (67 percent) of respondents say they are supportive of laws restricting phone calls while driving.
• Of those who supported enacting some type of cell phone usage restriction, nearly 3 in 4 believed the law should apply to all drivers, not just specific groups.

Cell phone driving statistics 

• Distraction from cell phone use while driving (hand held or hands free) extends a driver's reaction as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (University of Utah)
• The No.1 source of driver inattention is use of a wireless device. (Virginia Tech/NHTSA)
• Drivers that use cell phones are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (NHTSA, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• 10 percent of drivers aged 16 to 24 years old are on their phone at any one time.
• Driving while distracted is a factor in 25 percent of police reported crashes.
• Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent  (Carnegie Mellon)

Read more about the 2009 DWD survey results
2009 DWD Survey Results
2009 DWD Fact Sheet