CELL PHONE USE AND DISTRACTED DRIVING
This study examined the effects of cell phone use and other driver distractions on highway safety. Focusing on the five-year period, 2015-2019, the study involved the analyses of crash and ticket data and a survey of driver behavior with respect to cell phone use. The objectives of these analyses were to determine the status of cell phone use and texting among drivers, the extent to which distracted driving is cited as a factor in crashes, the level of enforcement of the law and public perceptions.
Full report:
CELL PHONE USE AND DISTRACTED DRIVING ON NY ROADWAYS: 2015-2019 (Published January 2021)
Key Findings
- 26% of police-reported F&PI crashes had “driver inattention/distraction” reported as a contributing factor in 2019, up from 22% in 2015.
- More than 1 million tickets were issued for cell phone violations in the five years 2015-2019.
- 68% of the drivers ticketed in 2019 were men; 52% of the drivers ticketed were ages 21-39.