8 Shocking Facts You Definitely Didn’t Know About Distracted Driving

Yup, you can get a DD violation for changing the song on your Spotify playlist.

How many of us can say that we ONLY focus on the road while driving? Like, we never EVER look away from the street signs, the cars around us, the road ahead of us, and the traffic lights to look at our phone to see who just texted us to say hi or Instagram DMed us a funny meme?

Probably 2% of people reading this article.

Okay, that percentage isn’t backed by research, but thanks to a newly released distracted driving report by The Zebra, this is a fact: The average insurance penalty for distracted driving is up 8,000% since 2011… which is CRAZY.

Here are 8 shocking facts I bet you didn’t know about distracted driving:

Changing the song on your Spotify playlist, checking your email, and swiping out of your recently open tabs are all examples of distracted driving.

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Yup. Texting while driving isn’t the only thing that’s considered “distracted driving.” Technically, checking your hair in the rearview mirror is being distracted while driving too, but you won’t actually get a violation on your record for doing that. It’s mainly for people who are touching or interacting with their phone when they’re supposed to be watching the road.

9 people die from car accidents as the result of a distracted driver every single day.

That’s 9 too many people. Put the phone down and away, guys. Immediately replying to the group chat is NOWHERE NEAR as important as other people’s lives.

There are still 3 states that don’t enforce a ban on texting while driving.

Yup. You can actually get away with texting while you drive in Arizona, Missouri, and Montana. These states need to step up and ban it ASAP.

California law states that a driver cannot hold or even touch their phone AT ALL while driving.

Pexels / Via pexels.com

Distracted driving is no joke, and the Golden State knows it. Go, Cali!

Insurance penalties for distracted driving increased from about $2 in 2011 to $226 in 2017.

That’s how serious distracted driving is considered.

On the other hand...

A DUI violation will cost you 47,600% more on your insurance rate than a distracted driving violation.

Getting caught driving drunk is wayyyyy more expensive than sending a text… literally almost 48,000% more expensive. Don’t drink and drive. Don’t text and drive. It’s simple, people.

Compared to every other state in the US, Vermont has the highest rate of distracted driver insurance rate increases at 41%.

Pexels / Via pexels.com

...which is interesting, because you’d think the bigger states like New York, California, Florida, or Texas would have the highest percentage of distracted drivers. Nope. Little, outdoorsy Vermont takes the lead.

Michigan has the most expensive distracted driving (DD) penalties, and New York has the lowest.

So New York is actually the lowest of all 50 states (or 47, if you’re only counting the states with DD laws in place -- yeah, I’m still looking at you, AZ, MO, and MT).

AT&T #ItCanWait Campaign / Via att.com

The fact of the matter is that no matter where you’re located and no matter how much your insurance rate will go up due to a distracted driving violation on your record, distracted driving is NOT okay. Not now, not ever. Keep your eyes on the road people. Our lives, safety, and well-being depends on it.

Safe and focused travels, everyone!

TheZebra.com / Via thezebra.com