We're all busy. And for those with high-pressure jobs or active social lives, it can seem like the ping of new emails and text messages never stops.
But seriously, Virginia drivers, put the phone down behind the wheel.
A new study from driver's ed company Zutobi ranks Virginia the fifth worst state for fatalities caused by distracted driving, with 21.5 percent of fatal auto accidents in the state caused by distracted driving. Maryland drivers, whom Virginia drivers love to hate, ranked 22nd with just 7.6 percent of fatal auto accidents caused by distracted driving. The District of Columbia was not included in the rankings.
In 2019, more than 3,100 people in the United States were killed in the 2,895 fatal distracted driving crashes reported that year. An estimated 424,000 were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver. The worst states (those with higher distracted driving fatality percentages) are, in order, New Mexico, New Jersey, Hawaii, Washington and Virginia.
The most common cause of distracted driving was the use of cell phones.
"Texting while driving on average takes about five seconds according to the NHTSA – if you’re driving 55 mph, that’s the same as driving the entire length of a football field with your eyes closed," according to the report. People ages 25 to 44 are most likely to be distracted by cell phones — even more than drivers under the age of 25.
Other common causes of distracted driving included reaching for an object, looking at things outside the car (like a house or a car accident), applying makeup and eating. Other passengers can also be a distraction, particularly children.
The states with the fewest fatalities caused by distracted driving are Mississippi, West Virginia and Georgia.
