Distracted Driving
Crashes involving a distracted driver (phone use, eating, inattention)
% of All Fatalities
9.1%
Total Fatalities
31,739
2015–2023
2023 Fatalities
3,510
Trend
↓ Decreasing
-3.4% change
Yearly Trend
| Year | Distracted Driving Fatalities | All Fatalities | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 3,811 | 35,484 | 10.7% |
| 2016 | 3,756 | 37,806 | 9.9% |
| 2017 | 3,638 | 37,473 | 9.7% |
| 2018 | 3,000 | 36,835 | 8.1% |
| 2019 | 3,256 | 36,355 | 9.0% |
| 2020 | 3,327 | 39,007 | 8.5% |
| 2021 | 3,808 | 43,230 | 8.8% |
| 2022 | 3,633 | 42,721 | 8.5% |
| 2023 | 3,510 | 40,901 | 8.6% |
About This Data
Distracted Driving-related fatalities are tracked by the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Note that crash cause categories are not mutually exclusive — a single fatal crash may involve multiple contributing factors (e.g., alcohol impairment combined with speeding). The percentage shown represents the share of all traffic fatalities where distracted driving was identified as a contributing factor.
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Data covers 2015–2023. This information is for research and informational purposes only.