Stats Speaking

On Sept. 30 of this year, the United States Department of Transportation met to discuss ways to reduce driver distraction, a growing peril according to the Obama administration. Eighteen states have laws banning texting while driving, and Senator Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.) is advocating legislation to make states ban texting or forfeit 25 percent of their federal highway funding. Here are some statistics related to distracted driving:

Fatalities last year due to driver distraction: 5870

People injured last year in which at least one form of driver distraction was reported: 515,000

Percentage of all fatal crashes that involved driver distraction in 2008: 16

Percentage of crashes and near-crashes in 2009 involving distracted drivers: 22

Age group with greatest proportion of distracted drivers: under 20

Sources: Yahoo! News, www.rita.dot.gov/distracted_ driving_ summit/, www.iihs.org/laws/cellphonelaws.aspx