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A groundbreaking study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reveals that official police crash reports drastically undercount the role of cell phone use in two-vehicle collisions. Published April 7, 2025, the analysis of more than 15,000 crashes across multiple states found that drivers were using their phones far more often than records suggest — raising serious questions about enforcement and public awareness of distracted driving.
The research team compared police crash reports with data pulled from drivers’ own safe-driving apps. While law enforcement documented phone use in only 17 of the crashes, app records showed nearly 600 drivers had actively handled their phones within 30 seconds of impact — a 35‑fold discrepancy. “Drivers are simply not willing to admit to phone use after a crash,” said Aimee Cox, lead researcher and IIHS scientist. “And officers responding to the scene rarely have the evidence to prove it, even when distraction is clearly involved.”
The study highlights a persistent blind spot: even when a phone is held or unlocked for navigation — what researchers call “passive use” — the driver’s eyes and attention are pulled away. Cox noted that taking your eyes off the road for just five seconds at highway speed means traveling the length of a football field without visual awareness. “Two seconds is really all it takes,” she added.
Ohio’s experience illustrates the enforcement gap. The state’s distracted driving law, enacted in 2023, has led to a surge in citations. Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers issued nearly 29,000 distracted driving tickets through the same period last year. This year, that number has already climbed to over 36,000 — a 24% increase that suggests heightened enforcement, but still likely only scratches the surface of actual phone use behind the wheel.
The IIHS findings align with other recent data. A 2024 AAA Foundation survey found that nearly 60% of drivers admitted to using their phone while driving in the past month, yet fewer than 1 in 10 expected to be caught. Meanwhile, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that distraction plays a role in 8–10% of fatal crashes, though many experts believe the true figure is much higher.
Cox emphasized that the gap between observed app behavior and police reports is not just a data problem — it has real consequences for road safety. “If we don’t know how often phone use is involved, we can’t design effective countermeasures or target enforcement,” she said. Some states are now exploring automated detection systems, such as cameras that can spot drivers holding phones, similar to red‑light and speed cameras.
For now, the IIHS recommends that drivers treat any phone interaction — even glancing at a map or accepting a call — as a serious risk. The study’s authors also urge police agencies to adopt more rigorous data collection methods, including regularly cross‑checking app records when available, and to bias crash reports with stronger language about phone use.
The complete IIHS report is available online and is expected to influence state legislative discussions later this year, particularly in states without primary distracted driving laws.
