Texas has the second-highest number of fatal crashes nationwide
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Distracted driving is a pervasive problem on American roadways, especially in Texas.
Why it matters: About 3,300 people died and over 289,000 were injured nationwide in crashes attributed to distracted driving in 2022, according to the latest available National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data.
The intrigue: 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: Overall, Texas had the second-highest number (4,408) of deadly crashes nationwide in 2022. Distracted driving was the No. 2 cause of fatal crashes, per the state Department of Transportation.
- The rate of overall traffic deaths was 14.6 per 100,000 Texans, the 10th highest rate in the country.
- It's illegal to read, write or send a text message while driving in Texas.
The big picture: U.S. traffic deaths per 100,000 people peaked in the 1930s and total deaths peaked in 1972, then gradually declined thanks to vehicle improvements, better infrastructure and public safety campaigns.
- But the rate of crash deaths started rising again about a decade ago, spiking during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2022 was still in the late pandemic era, and it's unclear whether things may have changed since then.
Between the lines: Despite the panic over recent flying incidents, roadway fatalities dwarf air fatalities every year.
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."