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A new study released on August 13, 2025, by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reveals that cell phone use in the moments before a crash is severely underreported—by as much as 700% compared to police records. The findings, based on anonymized telematics data from Cambridge Mobile Telematics, shed light on a longstanding blind spot in traffic safety reporting.
The IIHS analyzed data from 17,000 crashes across four states between 2021 and 2024, linking telematics records from safe-driving apps to police-reported incidents. The results show that 7% of drivers in single-vehicle crashes and 8% of drivers in two-vehicle crashes were using their phone within 30 seconds of impact. In contrast, police reports for the same crashes identified phone use less than 1% of the time.
“Police reports have long been known to miss the real role of phones in crashes,” said David Harkey, IIHS president. “Telematics now gives us a clearer picture of just how big the problem is.”
The study highlights a fundamental challenge: officers rarely arrive at crash scenes immediately, making it hard to verify phone use. Witnesses often cannot see phone activity, and drivers are reluctant to admit distraction. But telematics data can distinguish between passive use—such as running a navigation app—and active manipulation like tapping, swiping, or typing. In two-vehicle crashes, active manipulation occurred in nearly 4% of cases within the 30-second window. Hands-free and hand-held calls were also identified but did not contribute significantly to crash statistics.
Despite the gap, IIHS researchers note that telematics and police reports rarely agree on the type of distraction. Out of the 17,000 crashes surveyed, only three had both data sources identifying the same kind of phone use. This mismatch underscores the need for standardized investigation protocols. Currently, 21 states ban drivers from holding a phone entirely—a policy that IIHS research shows is effective in reducing crashes.
The report also points to a growing concern: video watching while driving. In a separate IIHS survey, nearly 25% of drivers admitted to watching a video on their phone at least once in the past month. “Navigation apps may account for much of the passive activity, but the video-watching habits are alarming,” the report reads.
To further validate the findings, the IIHS cross-referenced its data with a 2024 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study that used roadside observation. That study found phone use in about 3% of drivers at any given moment, suggesting the IIHS telematics data provides a more accurate pre-crash snapshot.
The implications are clear: current crash reporting systems are not capturing the full scope of distracted driving. As telematics becomes more widespread, lawmakers and safety advocates are calling for mandatory data sharing and updated investigation guidelines. “We need to bridge the gap between what’s happening on the road and what’s recorded in official reports,” Harkey added.
For drivers, the message is simple—phone use behind the wheel remains a major risk, often invisible to law enforcement but increasingly visible through data. The IIHS recommends that states adopt comprehensive hands-free laws and invest in telematics-based crash analysis to improve road safety.
