Teenage Drivers Are Responsible for Nearly One in Ten Car Accident Deaths Linked to Cellphones: NHTSA

New data comes as part of this month’s “Put the Phone Away or Pay” campaign by NHTSA, highlighting the risks of distracted driving.

Federal highway safety officials indicate that teens aged 15 to 20 made up 9% of all drivers involved in fatal distracted driving accidents in 2023, with 15% of these teen drivers using cellphones at the time of the crashes.

The findings were presented in a Traffic Safety Research report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this month, which analyzed 2023 distraction-related crash data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the Crash Report Sampling System, to evaluate the number of fatal and non-fatal motor vehicle accidents.

In total, 324,819 people were injured and 3,275 people were killed in car accidents involving distracted drivers in 2023, which accounted for 13% of all crashes, including 611 pedestrian fatalities. Of these accidents, 12% of fatalities were attributed to cell phone use.

The highest number of distracted driving fatalities occurred among drivers aged 25 to 34, who made up 21% of those involved in fatal distracted driving traffic accidents. Among drivers from this age group involved in fatal crashes, 24% were distracted by cellphones.

Cellphone use is the most predominant form of distracted driving, with texting identified as particularly perilous because it involves visual, manual and cognitive distractions. Texting while driving is prohibited in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands.

However, officials indicate that distracted driving can also include activities like adjusting the radio or GPS, applying makeup, and eating or drinking. 

NHTSA Distracted Driving Campaign 2025

As a result of this data, NHTSA launched the “Put the Phone Away or Pay” campaign on April 7, in an effort to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and its consequences, including fines, during National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

The “Put the Phone Away or Pay” campaign is backed by a $5 million media buy, funding advertisements on television, radio and digital platforms from April 7 to 14. Additionally, the NHTSA will ramp up police enforcement of state distracted driving laws from April 10 to 14, focusing on drivers aged 18 to 34, who are more likely to die in distracted driving crashes than any other age group.

NHTSA is encouraging people to ask anyone texting and driving to put their phone away. To reduce temptation, drivers should activate the phone’s “Do Not Disturb” feature, silence notifications, or store the phone out of reach in the trunk while driving.

Before reading or sending text messages or scrolling through social media, drivers should pull over to a safe location, or appoint a passenger as the “designated texter” to handle all calls and messages, NHTSA says.

“Taking your eyes and mind off the road even for a second could have devastating consequences, which is why we’re reminding everyone to Put the Phone Away or Pay”, said NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser.

Risks of Distracted Driving

Prior research has found cell phone use to be a better predictor of risky driving behaviors among teenagers than other factors, including a teenager’s sex, time of day, or length of time the driver has had their license.

Additional research has determined that roadside signs can be linked to an increase in car accidents as well, distracting drivers both visually and mentally. The study found that construction zones pose a greater risk to less experienced drivers, while service and logo signs present a greater risk to older drivers.

However, studies have suggested that one potential solution for reducing distracted driving is the use of smartphone apps offering interventions and incentives to encourage drivers to minimize phone use. These findings indicated that apps can reduce cell phone use while driving by 15% to 21%, potentially saving hundreds of lives each year.