Distracted driving causes vehicle accidents and deaths. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 3,166 traffic fatalities, or 8.5% of traffic deaths, in the United States in 2017 were linked to driver distraction. However, there is some disagreement on how much distracted driving can be attributed to cell phone use.

A 2018 study by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) indicates that between 2014 and 2018, cell phone use while driving rose 57%. On the other hand, NHTSA estimates that the prevalence of drivers using hand-held or hands-free cell phones decreased from 9% of drivers in 2012 to 5.3% in 2017. To learn more about smart phone use and distracted driving, check out EMC Insurance’s Loss Control Insights article.