Distracted Driving Awareness Month: Prevent Accidents and Keep Your Insurance Rates Low

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. While drunk driving often gets the most attention, distracted driving in Massachusetts — and across the country — is just as deadly. Accidents caused by texting, eating, or talking on the phone are common, and the real numbers are likely even higher than reported.

If you’re driving distracted and get into an accident, you’ll likely be found at fault. That means legal penalties and higher car insurance rates. This April and all year long, take a few minutes to make sure you — and anyone else in your household who drives — understands the risks.

What Is Distracted Driving?

Distracted driving means operating a vehicle while your attention is somewhere else, even for just a moment. Texting, making a phone call, adjusting the radio, or typing a destination into your GPS all count. So do less obvious behaviors like eating behind the wheel, managing passengers, or glancing at a notification. If you’re not fully focused on the road, you’re driving distracted.

The Three Types of Distracted Driving

Safety experts break distracted driving into three categories: visual, cognitive, and manual. Most dangerous driving behaviors involve at least one category, and many involve all three at once.

• Visual distractions take your eyes off the road. Looking down at a text, glancing at a passenger, or checking a notification all fall into this category. Research has found that looking away from the road for more than two seconds significantly increases your risk of a crash.
• Cognitive distractions take your mind off driving. You might be on the road physically, but mentally focused on a conversation, a stressful situation at work, or what’s playing through your speakers. Even hands-free phone calls can pull enough of your attention to slow your reaction time.
• Manual distractions take your hands off the wheel. Reaching for a coffee, eating a sandwich, or adjusting your mirrors are all examples. Any moment your hands leave the wheel is a moment you have less control over your vehicle.

Texting while driving is considered the most dangerous distracted driving behavior because it combines all three types at once — your eyes, your mind, and your hands are all somewhere other than on driving.

What Counts as Distracted Driving in Massachusetts?

The Massachusetts distracted driving law covers more than most people realize. Any behavior that diverts your attention from the task of driving can be considered a distraction, and that includes a wide range of everyday habits:

• Reading or sending texts: Looking down at a message for even a few seconds can mean missing stopped traffic, a red light, or a pedestrian stepping into the street.
• Talking on the phone: Even when you’re focused on the conversation, part of your attention is diverted from what’s happening around you.
• Scrolling social media or email: This combines visual, manual, and cognitive distraction all at once — making it one of the most dangerous habits behind the wheel.
• Adjusting GPS or music: These quick in-car actions are easy to underestimate, but they can take your eyes off the road at a critical moment.
• Eating or reaching for something: Even simple tasks can take your hands off the wheel and your mind off traffic conditions.

One statistic puts it into perspective: Reading or sending a single text takes your eyes off the road for about five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s the equivalent of driving the length of a football field without looking up.

Distracted Driving Facts and Statistics: A National Picture

Here’s a look at the real impact of distracted driving across the U.S.:

• 3,000 fatalities in 2024 were attributed to distracted driving — 14% of all traffic-related deaths
• 315,167 people were injured by distracted drivers in 2024
• 9 people are killed every day in crashes involving a distracted driver, according to the CDC
• 611 pedestrians were killed in 2023 due to distracted driving
• Drivers ages 18 to 34 are the most likely age group to die in distracted driving crashes
• Texting while driving makes you 8 times more likely to get into a car accident
• The economic toll of distracted driving reached $98.2 billion in 2019

These numbers are a reminder that distracted driving isn’t just a bad habit — it has real, serious consequences.

Distracted Driving in Massachusetts: The Local Numbers

The national statistics are alarming, but the numbers closer to home tell an equally troubling story.

Between 2021 and 2025, nearly 46,000 distracted driving crashes were recorded in Massachusetts. More than 13,000 of those crashes caused injuries, and 85 were fatal.

Distracted driving increased by 12% in 2023, according to AAA — a sign that despite increased awareness, the problem continues to grow. Whether you’re commuting on the highway or navigating a busy local intersection, the risk is real and present.

How the Hands-Free Law in Massachusetts Works

Does Massachusetts have a hands-free law? It does, and understanding what it requires can help you stay both safe and compliant.

Under the Massachusetts Hands-Free Law, it is illegal to hold or use any electronic device while driving. This means no holding your phone to make a call, no typing out a text at a red light, and no manually entering a destination into a navigation app while the car is in motion.

Here’s what the hands-free law in Massachusetts does allow:

• Using your phone via Bluetooth or another wireless connection
• Using a GPS device or app that is mounted and pre-programmed before you begin driving
• Contacting emergency services in an urgent situation

That said, even hands-free use can be a distraction if it pulls your focus from the road. Just because something is permitted doesn’t mean it’s without risk.

One lesser-known provision: Massachusetts law also prohibits wearing headphones while driving. One earbud is allowed; two are not.

Penalties Under the Massachusetts Distracted Driving Law

Penalties under the Massachusetts Hands-Free Law depend on your age and how many times you’ve been cited:

• First offense: Fine and mandatory completion of a distracted driving education program
• Subsequent offenses: Higher fines and insurance surcharges
• Junior operators (under 21): 60-day license suspension, fines, and a required Attitudinal Retraining Course
• Drivers under 18: No mobile device use at all — not even in hands-free mode

How Distracted Driving Affects Your Insurance Rates

If you’re found at fault in an accident — including one caused by distracted driving — you can expect your auto insurance rates to go up. Typically, that increase falls somewhere between 20% and 60%, which can mean paying an additional $600 to $1,500 per year. The effect on your policy generally lasts three to five years.

Factors such as serious injuries or significant property damage can push that increase even higher. The location of the accident may also play a role in how much your rates change.

Tips to Avoid Distracted Driving

A few simple habits can make a real difference:

• Handle things before you drive. Send texts, make calls, and eat before you get behind the wheel so you can stay focused on the road.
• Turn on Do Not Disturb. Most smartphones have this feature built in. Using it every time you drive is one of the easiest ways to eliminate distractions.
• Set a good example. If you drive with your kids or teens, let them see you practicing what you preach. New drivers pick up habits early — make sure the ones they’re learning are good ones.
• Encourage others to speak up. Talk to your teen about saying something if a friend drives distracted. It could save a life.

Have Questions About Your Massachusetts Auto Insurance?

Staying safe on the road is the most important thing. But having the right coverage in place matters too. If you have questions about your auto insurance policy or want to explore your options, reach out to an agent at C&S Insurance. We’re here to help.