Introduction
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines distracted driving as any activity that diverts attention from safe driving.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines distracted driving as any activity that diverts attention from safe driving.
Examples of distracted driving include but are not limited to talking or texting on cell phones, eating and drinking, talking to people inside the vehicle, and manipulating audio systems or navigation systems.
In summary, distracted driving is any activity that shifts a motorist's focus away from driving.
The Federal Highway Administration names safe road users, safe vehicles, safe speeds, safe roads, and post-crash care as key elements of a Safe System. This approach considers human attributes, such as momentary lapses of attention that may lead to roadway injury or fatalities.
In 2021, 8 percent (or 3522) of all motor vehicle fatalities nationwide were distracted driving related.
In 2021, 3 percent (or 140) of all motor vehicle fatalities in California were distracted driving related.
In 2021, the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) indicated a slight decrease (0.1 percent) of motorists talking on cell phone devices, going from 2.6 percent in 2020 to 2.5 percent in 2021.
Motorists aged 16-24, saw an increase of 1.1 percent in 2021 of drivers holding their phones to their ears while driving.
The National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) 2022 observed three prominent types of electronic device use while driving. These include “holding phones to their ears”, “speaking with visible headsets on”, and “visibly manipulating handheld devices”.
The information in this section refers to fatally or seriously injured persons in a distracted driving crash in California in 2021.
Ranking | Counties | Fatalities |
---|---|---|
1 | San Diego | 15 |
2 | Kern | 11 |
3 | Fresno | 10 |
3 | Orange | 10 |
5 | Los Angeles | 9 |
Ranking | County | Fatalities Per 100k Population |
---|---|---|
1 | Lassen | 6.2 |
2 | Trinity | 6.2 |
3 | Plumas | 5.1 |
4 | Lake | 4.4 |
5 | Napa | 2.9 |
Ranking | County | Serious Injuries |
---|---|---|
1 | Los Angeles | 122 |
2 | San Diego | 39 |
3 | Orange | 38 |
4 | San Bernardino | 32 |
5 | Sacramento | 26 |
Ranking | County | Serious Injuries Per 100k Population |
---|---|---|
1 | Sierra | 30.9 |
2 | Trinity | 12.4 |
3 | Moduc | 11.5 |
4 | Colusa | 9.2 |
5 | Amador | 7.4 |
Note: The ranking for the number of fatalities per 100k population is based on unrounded calculations.
Data source: i) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) ARF 2021; ii) Provisional Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) 2021 iii) 2020 Census State Redistricting Data (P.L. 94-171) Summary File, U.S. Census Bureau.
Urban Crashes accounted for a little over two thirds (64 percent) of all distracted driving fatal crashes compared to the 36 percent that occurred on rural roads. For comparison, 18.5 percent of travel in 2020 occurred on rural roads.
Minor arterials were the most common location for distracted driving fatal crashes accounting for 28 percent.
Principal arterials, followed by interstates made up the second and third most common crash locations in distracted driving fatal crashes accounting for 26 and 18 percent respectively.
Other Freeways and Expressways, Major Collectors, Local streets, and Minor Collectors constitute the remaining 28 percent.
Male victims made up 60 percent of all fatally injured victims and 60 percent of all seriously injured victims in distracted driving crashes in 2021.
Victims aged 55-64 were the most represented group in distracted driving crashes in 2021, making up 19.4 percent of fatalities.
Victims aged 15-24 were the most represented group in distracted driving crashes in 2021, making up 24.9 percent of fatalities.
Rear end crashes were the most common type of distracted driving FSI crashes in 2021 making up 26.1 percent, followed by hit object (19.4 percent) and broadside crashes (16.2 percent.)
Vehicle/pedestrian crashes followed by head-on crashes made up the fourth and fifth most common type of distracted driving FSI crashes in 2021 accounting for 14.5 and 10.4 percent respectively.
The peak period of all distracted driving fatal crashes in 2021 was between Thursday evening, between 6 pm and midnight.
The peak period of all distracted driving serious injury crashes in 2021 was between Saturday afternoon, between 3 pm and 6 pm.
18.6 percent of all distracted driving serious injury crashes in 2021 occurred between 3pm and 6pm.