How Many People Die from Texting and Driving in 2024?

Texting and driving is a serious safety hazard that can lead to death.

This article will answer the question: “How many people die from texting and driving?”

After reading this article, you will find out that it only takes a matter of 5 seconds of taking your eyes off the road (on average) to impact your driving behavior.

You will see a good analogy of this in the article.

If you’re caught texting while driving, you could face dire consequences, including fines, jail time, and can even lose your driver’s license.

So please, put your phone away where you won’t be tempted and focus on the road.

It’s simply not worth the risk.

Let’s look at some texting and driving statistics about the numbers of texting and driving fatalities and other pertinent data.

Key Statistics

• Approximately 1 in 5 fatalities in distracted driving accidents involved texting and driving.
• Those who text and drive are 23 times more apt to be in a car crash.
• 36% of drivers use their smartphone at a stop sign or red light.
• 35% of drivers continue to use their phones while driving.
• 41.2% of drivers said that they use their phone apps for listening to podcasts or music.
• 50% of American teenagers admit to having a mobile phone addiction.

How Many People Die from Texting and Driving in 2024? 

Approximately 1 in 5 fatalities in distracted driving accidents involved texting and driving.

So, knowing that one out of every five deaths are caused directly by distracted driving due to texting and driving, this data may make the problem clearer to us all. 

It’s important to understand that texting and driving falls under the purview of “distracted driving”.

Therefore, these statistics will also include distracted driving figures.

This isn’t just about texting, checking emails, and scrolling through social media while driving.

It’s also about the 41.2% of drivers who’ve admitted to using phone apps while they drive to find and listen to podcasts or music.

Figures for 2022 are not yet publicly available, but we hope it’s much lower (preferably zero) than in previous years. 

Let’s find out how serious texting and driving is.

(NHTSA)

How Serious is Texting and Driving? 

Drivers who text and drive are 23 times more apt to be in a car crash.

That should tell you how serious this problem is, at least in the United States. 

Texting while driving is especially dangerous because it takes your eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds. 

That’s like driving the length of a football field blindfolded. In that amount of time, you could travel the distance of 180 feet, which is far enough to miss seeing a pedestrian or another car.

So, in those 5 seconds (more or less) you take to read or write a message you’re putting yourself at risk of having a motor vehicle accident. 

Besides fatalities, texting and driving is known to triple your odds of driving over a curb, crossing the line or leaving the road, hitting a sign, or crashing into a tree.

Did you know that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) cites that 36% of drivers use their smartphones while sitting at a stop sign or red light?

Even more worrisome is the fact that another 35% continue to use their smartphones or apps while they drive.

Moreover, 50% of American teens say they think they are addicted to their phones.

This doesn’t help the statistics in texting and driving motor vehicle accidents.

(DriveSafe Online)

How Many People Die in Texting and Driving Accidents Annually?

In 2021 alone, 6,522 people were killed by distracted driving.

You need to know that this is a 10% rise from 2020. Speaking of which, in 2020, 3,142 people were killed because of distracted driving. 

In terms of fatalities solely due to texting and driving accidents, in 2019, 430 people were killed directly due to texting and driving.

In 2020, that number was 396, which is a decrease. However, it will result in over one death per day due to texting while driving. 

Texting and driving accidents also occur among pedestrians who aren’t driving, but who are walking across or on the roads.

In 2019, 566 fatalities occurred among pedestrians due to distracted drivers who were texting at the time.

(DriveSafe Online, Forbes Advisor)

How Many People Die in Texting and Driving Accidents Each Day?

According to the (NHTSA), an average of 9 people are killed every day in the United States in crashes involving distracted drivers. 

When we look at the annual texting and driving statistics, 396 people were killed due to texting and driving, which would account for an average of more than one person per day. 

Moreover, with the 566 pedestrian fatalities due to texting and driving in 2019, that amounts to more than 1.5 deaths per day directly caused solely by texting while driving.

What Can We Do to Prevent/Avoid Texting and Driving Accidents?

Individual states in the United States have laws that regulate texting and driving.

This may have somewhat lowered the overall national numbers, but there is more we can do as individuals to prevent these tragedies. 

Something you/we can do is turn our phones off, down, or turn on “Do Not Disturb” before you go out driving.

Unless you need your phone’s GPS or you have an emergency where you need to get messages or calls, you can disable access to your phone while you drive. 

In fact, some auto insurance companies are now offering discounts to members who download an app on their phone that counts how many times they pick up or use their phone and tracks and monitors their driving habits.

USAA auto insurance has such an app. So, some insurance companies are at least trying to prevent texting and driving accidents.

Here is a list of more things that can be done to avoid texting while driving:

• Turn off your phone or turn it on silent/do not disturb 
• Set up an automated message letting those messaging you that you’re driving, so you can’t respond at that moment.
• Use an app that will block incoming messages while you drive. 

Also, be a good example to others and don’t text and drive in front of your kids, spouse, partner, family, or friends.

Show them how to avoid using their phones while driving.

Show them it can be done, and most messages can wait. Don’t just tell them and lecture them – show them.

Conclusion

Now that you have read the statistics about texting and driving, we hope you will take a more active and proactive role towards helping to reduce and eliminate accidents, injuries, and fatalities due to texting and driving. 

By following the tips we’ve shared with you, you can help make the roads safer for everyone, especially you.

Remember, texting and driving can result in grave consequences, which can include fines, jail time, and you may lose your driver’s license.

We hope you have found value in this article and that we have answered the question: “How many people die from texting and driving?” adequately for you.

Sources

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