Study: Ohio drivers are less distracted by phones than other Americans
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Buckeye State drivers spent less time on their phones than the average American in 2025, a new analysis from Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) shows.
Why it matters: Distracted driving leads to thousands of crashes in Ohio every year, though recent crash data shows signs of improvement.
- Officials credit that to enforcement of a new law cracking down on the dangerous practice.
State of play: Ohioans tapped their phones while driving 7% less than the average U.S. driver, per CMT data.
- And Ohio drivers spent 5% less time talking on the phone than the average American.
Zoom in: Cuyahoga County drivers are among the most distracted drivers in the state.
- They were recorded tapping their phones — such as to text — well above the state average and more than all the surrounding counties.
- Franklin County drivers similarly tap their phones more than the state average and more than most other Central Ohio counties.
How it works: CMT analyzed roughly 190 million trips taken by hundreds of thousands of Ohio drivers who opted in to programs, typically from insurance companies, that reward safe driving behavior.
- Such programs involve apps that track distracted phone usage — CMT aggregated and anonymized that information with help from AI to get statewide and county-level data.
Context: A 2023 state law made texting while driving a primary offense. Previously, law enforcement could issue citations only after pulling drivers over for another violation (like speeding).
- Drivers cannot text, scroll or manually input GPS directions while moving, but can hold a phone to their ear during calls and text while stopped at a red light.
Between the lines: A sharp increase in distracted driving citations followed, and Ohio's traffic safety trends improved in 2025.
- The State Highway Patrol reported a 10% year-over-year decline in fatal and serious crashes attributed to distracted driving.
- And preliminary crash data shows that overall traffic deaths fell by 3%.
What they're saying: "Ohio's progress is worth celebrating," ODOT director Pamela Boratyn said in a news release. "However, we still see too many drivers focused on their phones instead of the road."
- "Ohio's results show the measurable impact of hands-free laws on real driving behavior," CMT co-founder Sam Madden added.