Finger pressing Apple Maps button on the Apple CarPlay main screen in modern car dashboard.

Addressing Distracted Driving: The Problem is Bigger than Texting

By Jack Becker

Distracted driving is deadly.

In 2019, 8.7% of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities involved a distracted driver, totaling 3,142 fatalities. And hundreds of thousands more are injured due to distracted drivers each year.

So, what are the solutions? Anti-drunk driving initiatives may provide some valuable insights.

The share of motor vehicle fatalities involving alcohol impairment has declined from 41% in 1985 to 28% in 2019.

Much of this decrease is attributable to laws and law enforcement. When the FY 2001 Transportation Appropriations bill included a provision setting the national impaired driving standard at .08 BAC, it was touted as saving an estimated 500 lives per year. Every state has some form of drunk driving law, and 38 states have open container laws, and these laws seem to impact fatalities.

Read More