Research & Data
Distracted Driving
Recognizing the safety concerns associated with the use of a cell phone while driving, New York became the first state in the nation to prohibit the use of hand-held cell phones while driving, effective November 1, 2001, and enacted further legislation that prohibited text messaging for all drivers, effective November 1, 2009. Studies examine the effects of cell phone use and other driver distractions on highway safety.
Research Notes & Reports
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.
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.
- CELL PHONE USE AND DISTRACTED DRIVING ON NY ROADWAYS: 2015-2019
(Published January 2021) - Download Full Report
Fact Sheets
Cell Phone Use 2019-2023
December 2024
Cell Phone Use 2018-2022
December 2023
Cell Phone Use 2017-2021
December 2022
Cell Phone Use 2016-2020
November 2021
Cell Phone Use 2015-2019
November 2020
Cell Phone Use 2014-2018
October 2019
Discover more data in the Traffic Safety Statistical Repository (TSSR)
Developed to provide broader access to New York’s traffic safety data, the TSSR contains motor vehicle crash data obtained from the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Accident Information System (AIS) over the past 10 years, including preliminary data for the current year.