Over half of Georgia crashes in 2022 linked to distracted driving
A file photo of traffic (pixabay).
ATLANTA - A new report from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) and the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) reveals that distracted driving played a role in more than half of all motor vehicle crashes in Georgia in 2022, according to a press release. The Georgia Traffic Safety Fact Sheet (GTFS) "Distracted Driving – 2022" indicates that 53% of traffic accidents in the state involved at least one confirmed or suspected distracted driver.
Distracted driving is defined as any activity that diverts attention from driving, including visual, manual, or cognitive distractions. While the use of cell phones is often associated with distracted driving, the behavior encompasses any action that takes the driver’s focus off the road. According to the 2023 Georgia Distracted Driving Observational Survey conducted by the Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory University, 1 in 5 drivers in Georgia was observed engaging in some form of distraction.
The data presented in the GTFS report highlights the significant threat that distracted driving poses to public safety. The report notes that more than three-fourths of all distraction-related crashes in Georgia in 2022 involved at least one other vehicle or non-motorist, such as a pedestrian or bicyclist. Alarmingly, 13% of those killed or seriously injured in distraction-related crashes were pedestrians or bicyclists.
The World Health Organization has pointed out the dangers of mobile phone use while driving, noting that drivers using phones are approximately four times more likely to be involved in a crash than those who are not using a phone. This risk is exacerbated by the impact on drivers' reaction times, including braking and responding to traffic signals.
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Allen Poole, Director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, emphasized the serious threat posed by distracted driving. "This report shows the importance of focusing on driving instead of your smartphone or anything else that takes your attention away from the road," Poole said. He warned that the assumption many drivers have that they can safely text and drive is dangerously flawed, as one mistake could cost lives.
Georgia’s Hands-Free Law, which was enacted on July 1, 2018, prohibits drivers from holding or supporting a wireless telecommunications device or standalone electronic device while operating a vehicle. The law includes texting, emailing, browsing the internet, or using social media while driving. Since the law took effect, the number of distracted driving convictions processed by the Department of Driver Services (DDS) increased 5.5 times during the first 18 months. In 2022 alone, there were nearly 49,000 distracted driving convictions.
The report also highlights that drivers aged 15 to 24 years, who represented only 15% of all licensed drivers in Georgia in 2022, were involved in 26% of all distraction-related motor vehicle crashes. Additionally, nearly one-third of all distracted driving crash citations in 2022 were issued to drivers in this age group.
The GTFS Distracted Driver 2022 fact sheet is based on data from multiple sources, including the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) crash data, and records from the Department of Public Health’s Crash Outcomes Data Evaluation System (CODES) and the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS). The findings underscore the ongoing challenge of combating distracted driving and the importance of continued public awareness and enforcement efforts to improve road safety in Georgia.