The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and General Motors (GM) plan to release a report this summer on distracted driving to reduce the behavior and change the social norm.
According to national and state driver surveys, distracted driving is a top road safety concern.
Distracted driving includes texting and using cell phones, eating and drinking, changing the radio, and personal grooming.
A total of 51 percent of drivers admitted they text and/or email on their phone while alone in the vehicle, according to a 2021 AAA survey.
In 2020, 3,142 people died in distraction-related crashes in the United States, 8.1 percent of roadway fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Researchers for the GHSA and GM will examine data collected by State Highway Safety Offices (SHSO) and their partners and identify distracted driving challenges and actions that can be taken to address them effectively.
The GHSA, using GM grant funding, will offer SHSOs grants to help implement the actions recommended in the report.
GM’s recent Future of Safety Research Study discovered that drivers believe stress is a key factor influencing their focus on the road. Most respondents admitted that their emotional states impacted their driving. One-third reported having pulled off the road because they felt too emotional to drive.