Ohio is cracking down on distracted driving
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Distracted driving is a pervasive problem on American roads, and Ohio is one of many states cracking down.
Why it matters: Around 3,300 people died nationwide in crashes attributed to distracted driving in 2022, while another 289,000 were injured, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data.
- Over 62,000 crashes involved distracted cellphone usage in 2022 alone, NHTSA says.
- These stats likely underestimate the problem because crash data often relies on drivers self-reporting their distractions to law enforcement, National Safety Council (NSC) executive VP of safety leadership and advocacy Mark Chung tells Axios.
Zoom in: In Ohio, a 2023 law made it a primary offense to use handheld electronics while driving.
- Dozens of distracted driving citations are issued every day, per state patrol data.
- Fatal and serious injury crashes are down 22% thus far in 2025 compared to this time last year.
What they're saying: "We're certainly seeing less distracted driving than before the law went into effect, but we still have a long way to go," Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement.
Zoom out: This month, Iowa became the 31st state to prohibit any handheld cellphone usage behind the wheel, with Gov. Kim Reynolds saying: "This legislation will save lives."
- Nearly all U.S. states ban texting while driving, per the Governors Highway Safety Association, though their enforcement rules differ.
Between the lines: Despite the panic over recent flying incidents, road fatalities dwarf air fatalities every single year.
- Groups like the NSC observe April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
The last word: "A lot of us feel like we can multitask, but we know from studies that there's no such thing as multitasking," Chung says. "The human brain does not allow for it."
- "The cognitive challenges that one faces while distracted when driving, it's almost like being drunk."