According to 2017 statistics from the CDC:
* 6% of all motor vehicle crashes in the United States involved a distracted driver.
* 3,166 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver.
* 599 non-occupants (e.g., pedestrians and cyclists) died in a crash that involved a distracted driver.
* At any given time in 2017, an estimated 2.0% of all drivers on the road were visibly using a hand-held device – a 0.1% reduction from 2016.
* Distractions are present 52% of the time in normal driving.
Common distractions:
– interacting with an adult or teen passenger (15%)
– using a cell phone (6%)
– using systems such as climate control and radio (4%)
On average, a non-fatal injury crash at work that involves distraction costs the employer $72,442.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.