- Some inexperienced drivers are even creating content while behind the wheel.
- Even in states that outlaw phone use, infotainment systems are a major distraction.
- Using screens can impact a driver’s reaction times more than alcohol or cannabis.
Smartphones have become so heavily ingrained in our everyday lives that for many, it’s hard to put them away for even a moment. That dependence is now spilling onto the road. New data shows distracted driving is climbing, and it is no longer limited to quick calls or texts. Drivers are watching videos, scrolling TikTok, and even tuning into live streams while behind the wheel.
Read: This Could Be The End Of Holding Your Phone At Red Lights In Florida
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) paints a grim picture. In 2023, distracted driving was linked to 3,275 deaths and more than 300,000 injuries across the United States. While the figures don’t break down exactly what caused the distractions, Virginia Tech associate professor Charlie Klauer says using social media while behind the wheel has become increasingly common.
Rising Social Media Use Behind Wheel
“People are engaging more and more with their phones [while driving],” he told The Guardian. “The progression has gone from texting to browsing and looking and watching, which we now see a lot of. It’s Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and a wide range of things.”
Joel Feldman, who speaks to students nationwide about distracted driving, hears similar admissions. Younger drivers, he says, openly acknowledge sneaking quick glances at videos while driving.
“I talk to kids, and they’ll say that they take a quick look at a TikTok video” while driving, he said. “I didn’t hear that five years ago. It comes up whether I’m giving talks in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado or Maryland, and those are just the ones I’ve been to in the last few weeks.”
Research from the NHTSA also shows that younger drivers, particularly those aged 15 to 20, make up the largest share of distraction-related fatal crashes, with elevated rates continuing into the early twenties.
Video Viewing Causes Real Crashes
We’re even starting to see accidents caused by people making videos while driving. Late last year, popular streamers MeltIsLIVE and Jau Shaun livestreamed themselves speeding in a BMW M3 and a Dodge Charger while on the streets of Atlanta, Georgia. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured.
A month earlier, a 43-year-old woman was live-streaming on TikTok when she allegedly struck and killed a pedestrian. In California, another driver slammed into a parked police vehicle while watching YouTube, narrowly missing an officer standing nearby.
Across the US, 49 states, along with Washington, D.C., already ban texting while driving, and 33 states prohibit handheld device use altogether. That should cover most distractions. It doesn’t. Drivers are now turning to built-in infotainment screens, often unlocked with aftermarket dongles, to watch videos behind the wheel.
Lawmakers are starting to catch up. Some states are exploring rules that would explicitly ban streaming or livestreaming from the driver’s seat, an area current laws don’t clearly address.
The increased reliance on touchscreens themselves is also contributing to more accidents, according to Charlie Klauer. Studies have shown that using these screens can adversely impact a driver’s reaction times more than alcohol or cannabis, prompting calls for more decisive action to be taken against distracted driving.
