April marks Distracted Driving Awareness Month and Alcohol Awareness Month, where people are encouraged to explore and consider the negative impacts of distracted driving and alcohol-related issues, respectively. Driving while distracted or intoxicated pose major dangers to all road users, including those who walk, bike, and roll and have less physical barriers against dangerous drivers.
The 2024 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Facts provides the latest traffic safety data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), including statistics regarding distracted driving and alcohol-impaired driving.
Traffic Safety Facts: Distracted Driving
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines distracted driving as any activity that diverts attention from safe driving, including talking/texting on cell phones, eating and drinking, and manipulating audio systems or navigation systems. Nationally, 3,308 people were killed in distracted driving crashes in 2022. In California, there were 148 people killed in distracted driving traffic crashes in 2022.
For more information on crash locations, factors, and types relating to distracted driving, view our2024 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Facts: Distracted Driving
Traffic Safety Facts: Alcohol-Impaired and Alcohol-Involved Driving
While alcohol-impaired driving fatalities have fallen significantly in the last three decades, NHTSA reports that they still comprise a large percentage of traffic injuries and fatalities. Nationally, 13,524 people were killed in alcohol-impaired crashes in 2022. In California, there were 1,479 people killed in alcohol-impaired traffic crashes in 2022.
For more information on nationwide and statewide trends in alcohol-impaired crashes—including information on common locations, times of day, and demographics— view our 2024 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Facts: Alcohol-Impaired and Alcohol-Involved Driving
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.