Middle-aged motorists labelled 'dangerous risks' to roads as phone-related road crashes soar in US

Drivers aged between 25 and 44 are now the biggest offenders for deadly mobile phone distraction crashes in the US, according to new research.

The findings from American law firm Levine and Wiss challenge the common belief that teenage motorists are the greatest danger when it comes to phone use behind the wheel.

Instead, adults balancing careers, family responsibilities and constant digital communication were found to be responsible for the largest share of fatal crashes linked to mobile phone distraction.

The study found that drivers aged 25 to 34 were involved in 108 fatal crashes where mobile phone use was a factor in 2024. Those aged 35 to 44 were involved in a further 83 deadly incidents.

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By comparison, drivers aged 21 to 24 were linked to 61 fatal crashes involving mobile phone distraction.

The research suggested that pressure from work and a need to stay constantly connected were major reasons why working-age adults are taking risks on the road.

A spokesperson for Levine and Wiss said: "The stereotype of the distracted teen driver doesn't match today's reality. Adults in their prime working and parenting years are increasingly the ones taking dangerous risks with their phones behind the wheel."

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that 54 per cent of drivers aged between 18 and 34, and those aged 35 to 44, use their phones for work-related communication while driving.

Among those motorists, 38 per cent said they felt pressure to always be available, while 37 per cent worried about missing something important from work.

Unlike younger drivers, who are often distracted by passengers, older motorists face a combination of work demands, family commitments and social media notifications through a single device.

Researchers warned that this has helped normalise phone use behind the wheel despite the serious dangers.

Distracted driving continues to be a major problem across the United States. Since 2020, annual deaths linked to distracted driving have remained above 3,000 each year.

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In 2024, there were 2,955 fatal crashes involving distracted drivers, accounting for eight per cent of the 36,297 deadly collisions recorded nationwide.

The financial impact is also significant, with distracted driving estimated to cost the US economy nearly $100billion (£76billion) every year. The report also highlighted changing smartphone habits among motorists.

The proportion of drivers seen handling a phone increased from three per cent in 2023 to 4.5 per cent in 2024. Meanwhile, the number of motorists holding phones to their ears fell slightly from 2.1 per cent to 1.9 per cent.

Drivers in urban areas were much more likely to text behind the wheel than those in rural communities, with rates of 5.6 per cent compared with 2.2 per cent. Teenage motorists still face serious distraction issues, but mobile phones are not always the main cause.

Research from the AAA Foundation found distraction played a role in 58 per cent of crashes involving teenagers studied, with passengers proving to be the most common source of distraction.

At the other end of the age scale, drivers over 70 recorded the lowest rate of smartphone use, while driving at just 1.2 per cent.

However, researchers noted that older motorists can face challenges with increasingly complex infotainment systems and digital dashboards fitted to modern vehicles.

Safety experts continue to warn that using a phone while driving dramatically increases the risk of a crash. Studies show that dialling a mobile phone makes a collision six times more likely. Texting was even more dangerous, increasing crash risk by as much as 23 times.

Reading or sending a text message typically takes a driver's eyes off the road for around five seconds. At 55mph, that is enough time to travel the length of a football field without looking at the road ahead.

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