A newly published study highlights the worst states for distracted driving in 2024 with New Mexico taking the top spot in the study’s top 10 list. The study is part of a larger push to highlight the dangers of distracted driving and how states can do their part to help reduce accidents and fatalities related to distracted driving.
Yearly fatalities from distracted driving have been slowly creeping upwards.
Distracted driving is common place and it’s often easy to spot too with drivers texting while driving, applying their makeup while on the road and even eating while going down the freeway. Habits like these are very dangerous out on the road and are rapidly becoming a growing factor in a growing number of accidents and fatalities.
A new study released by Bader Scott identified the top ten worst states for distracted driving and used several parameters to identify these states and rank them from the least distracted to one where the problem was most prevalent.
New Mexico tops the list
New Mexico was the worst state for distracted driving according to te study with New Jersey and Hawaii placing fifth and sixth.
New Mexico may be known as the “Land of Enchantment” but state officials should perhaps consider changing it to the “Land of Distraction” with the state topping the list in the study. According to the report, New Mexico had 185 fatalities caused by distracted driving in 2022 with over 40% of these fatal accidents being attributed to distracted driving. That figure is also noticeably higher than the national average of 7.78%. In addition to these fatalities, state authorities also reported 18.83 fatalities per 100,000 drivers and 8.75 fatalities per 100,000 residents due to distracted driving. The study used data pulled from 2022 reports published by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Census Bureau.
Taking second place is Kansas with that state reporting 157 fatalities due to distracted driving during the same time period with 26.83% of all fatal accidents in the state being attributed to distracted driving. Meanwhile, despite all the tourists and seasonal visitors that Hawaii sees during the busy travel season, the island state managed to get sixth place in the study with Hawaii reporting 25 fatalities due to distracted driving. New Jersey was slightly higher in fifth place with state officials reporting 183 fatalities with the subsequent 26.72 % figure also being above the national average.
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What can be done to address distracted driving?
Key age groups were highlighted in the study with drivers 20-39 and 40-59 having the highest percentage of distracted drivers.
Distracted driving is a serious issue out on the road, but it’s also one where educating the public can play a big role in reducing distracted driving which in turn can decrease accidents and fatalities. Many states are passing laws that prohibit the use of handheld mobile devices while driving with provisions in some of these laws allowing for hands-free only use when a cellphone is paired with a vehicle. Automakers are also doing their part to reduce distractions by preventing certain features from being accessed while driving with manual input of GPS coordinates and phone numbers for example only being permitted when the vehicle is parked.
However, regulators and automakers are facing an uphill battle with many consumers still engaging in dangerous driving habits and distractions that cause them to take their eyes off the road. Police departments that have embarked on recent enforcement campaigns have said that they see people still try to hide illegal cellphone use by putting the phone in their lap where they think it cannot be seen by prying eyes. As a result, drivers need to be vigilant when out on the road and pay attention to their surroundings and the vehicles in their immediate vicinity while also avoiding the same tempting distractions themselves when they are behind the wheel.
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