Everyone knows that drunk driving is a problem, and a lot of people are very smart about not getting behind the wheel if they’ve had too much to drink. Everyone also knows that distracted driving isn’t safe, but more and more people are starting to do it behind the wheel. A look at the data has us wondering – is distracted driving the new drunk driving?
To get a better idea how much water this statement holds, we turn to data provided by LexisNexis Risk Solutions. The data they provided is quite concerning, especially when it comes to younger generations and their actions behind the wheels. Let’s look at some distracted driving statistics and compare them to DUI statistics to see how they stack up.
Distracted Driving Vs. DWI
Here are some statistics about the recent rise of distracted driving across America:
- Between 2022 and 2023, distracted driving violations increased 9% among millennials.
- Between 2022 and 2023, distracted driving violations increased nearly 24% among Gen Z. There has been a 66% increase with this group from 2019 to 2023.
- Among all age groups, distracted driving violations were up 10% from 2022 to 2023.
- Deaths related to each act aren’t all that much different. In 2019 there were 10,546 traffic fatalities attributed to distracted driving. In 2023, there were 12,429 alcohol impaired driving traffic deaths. These numbers are closer than most imagine.
- In 2019, the economic impact of distracted driving was over $98 billion, higher than the $68 billion price tag with drunk driving.
So while these two actions are clearly more similar than many realize, how they are handled by the court system and by insurance varies quite differently. For example, all 50 states have laws against drunk driving. 49 states have laws against texting while driving, with Montana being the exception. Overall, that’s not that different. However, not only does a DUI come with driver’s license penalties, fines and the potential for jail time, it also oftentimes comes with major insurance premium increases. The average insurance premium increase after a DUI conviction is 58%, which oftentimes translates to thousands of dollars in added expenses.
Conversely, distracted drivers oftentimes get off lightly, with all-in expenses oftentimes checking in at less than $100 in some states with no other penalties assessed. Insurance premiums can still rise after a distracted driving citation, with the average increase being 27%, which less than half the increase compared to a DWI.
We understand the social stigma of distracted driving is currently different than DWI, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the public perception of distracted driving starts to worsen, especially if citation, crash and fatality numbers continue to trend in the wrong direction. We’ll help you if you’re facing a distracted driving or a drunk driving charge, but we’d prefer it if you decided to make good decisions behind the wheel and avoid a completely preventable issue.
For assistance with a criminal or traffic matter, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
