Georgia Traffic Safety Facts

March 2024

Distracted Driving

Key Findings

 53% of all motor vehicle traffic

crashes had at least one

confirmed or suspected

distracted driver.

 30% of all serious injury

crashes involved at least one

driver confirmed or suspected

of distraction.

 According to the 2023 Georgia

Distracted Driving

Observational Survey, 19.6%

of all drivers were observed to

have some form of distraction

(i.e., talking, texting, dialing, or

eating).

 76% of all distraction-related

crashes involved at least one

other vehicle besides the

distracted driver.

 Since the Hands-Free Law

took effect, the number of

distracted driving convictions

processed by the Department

of Driver Services continues to

increase. Additionally,

statewide and national studies

show that distracted driving

remains a growing traffic safety

concern.

 Drivers aged 15-to-24 years

had the highest proportion of

drivers involved in distraction-

related motor vehicle crashes

and received more distracted

driving citations after a crash

compared to any other age

group.

For the purposes of this fact sheet, a distraction-related crash is any crash in

which a driver was reported as a confirmed distracted driver or identified as a

suspected distracted driver.

Driver distraction occurs when drivers divert their attention from the driving task

to focus on some other activity. Often discussions regarding distracted driving

center around cell phone use and texting; however, distracted driving also

includes other distraction-related activities that are manual, visual, or cognitive.

Activities, particularly cell phone use, may involve multiple types of distraction.

MANUAL VISUAL COGNITIVE

involves touching

something within

the vehicle

involves looking at

something other than

the road

involves thinking about

something that

occupies your mind



Holding or touching a phone

 Eating, drinking, or smoking

 Moving things in the vehicle,

such as pets, insects, or

objects

 Changing the radio or climate

controls

 Adjusting other vehicle devices

or controls

 Grooming or personal hygiene



Looking at a phone

or infotainment

display

 Reading or typing a

text, email, or

message

 Looking at a

billboard

 Looking at an event,

object, or person

outside the vehicle



Conversations

 Daydreaming

 Thinking about an

argument

 Worrying about

something or someone

 Loud noises inside or

outside the vehicle, such

as ringing mobile devices,

loud music, or ambulance

sirens

It is important to note that the Georgia Department of Transportation and the

Crash Outcomes Data Evaluation System (CODES) at the Georgia Department

of Public Health may revise the definitions of confirmed or suspected

distraction-related crashes. It is also important to acknowledge the inherent

limitations in the data collection within the police crash reports for distraction-

related crashes and the resulting injuries and fatalities. As such, there are

challenges and limitations in comparing and interpreting distraction-related

crashes over time.

From a law enforcement perspective, confirming a distraction as a contributing

factor in a crash is challenging. Most often, distraction is self-reported by the

driver for non-injury, non-fatal, single-occupant crashes and is likely biased.

Subsequently, distraction-related crashes are underreported.

overnor's Office of

Highway Safety

7 M.L.K. Jr Dr SE

Suite #643

Atlanta, GA 30334

(404)

656-6996

www.gahighwaysafety.org

See Data Considerations for more information on the suspected-distracted driving definition established by the GDOT and CODES

Georgia Traffic Safety Facts

2022 Data

Page 1

2023 Georgia Distracted Driving Observational Study

The Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory

University conducted a roadside observational survey

of driver distraction—nearly 30,000 observations

across 400 sites within 20 Georgia counties between

May and August 2023. According to the 2023

Georgia Distracted Driving Observational Survey

19.6% of all drivers exhibited some form of distraction

while operating a motor vehicle (i.e., talking, texting,

dialing, or eating). This suggests that at any point in

time or location on Georgia roadways during daytime

hours, at least 1 out of 5 drivers may be distracted.

Unlike seatbelt observations, drivers are not

constantly distracted throughout their travel time—

each distracted driving observation is a snapshot of

time and place. The following are key findings

derived from the 2023 Georgia Distracted Driving

Observational Survey.

All Distractions

 Distracted driving decreased with increasing

age and was higher for women (22.3%) than for

men (17.7%).

 Driver distraction was higher in Atlanta

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) (20.2%)

than in non-Atlanta MSAs (19.3%) and rural

areas (17.8%).

 Distracted driving was higher on weekdays

(20.5%) than on weekends (13.1%). This was

true for all types of distractions, including texting

or dialing on hand-held devices.

Distractions Involving Hand-Held Devices

 The proportion of drivers observed to be talking

or texting/dialing on a hand-held device in

Georgia was higher than national observation

data (6.8% in Georgia vs. 5.2% nationally

 The rate of hand-held device distractions

(talking or texting/dialing) was greater for

drivers who were unbelted (8.5%) than those

who were belted (6.1%).

According to the 2023 Georgia

Distracted Driving Observational

Survey, nearly 20% of all drivers

were observed to have some form

of distraction. In other words, at

least 1 out of 5 drivers at any

time and location on Georgia

roadways may be distracted.

According to the World Health Organization…

“Drivers using mobile phones are

approximately 4 times more likely to be

involved in a crash than drivers not using

a mobile phone. [Using a phone while

driving impacts the driver’s reaction time

(notably braking reaction time and reaction

to traffic signals). Using a phone also

makes it difficult to maintain the correct

lane and appropriate following distances.]

Hands-free phones are not much safer

than hand-held phone sets. Texting

considerably increases the risk of a

crash.”

Rupp, Jonathan. 2023. “Statewide Rates of Driver Distraction: An Observational Survey of Driver Distraction in Georgia, 2023”. The Injury Prevention Research Center at

Emory (IPRCE), Emory University: Atlanta, Georgia.

National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2024, January). Driver electronic device use in 2022 (Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. Report No. DOT HS 813 531).

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Available online: https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813531

World Health Organization. (2023, December). Road traffic injuries: Fact sheet. WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/road-traffic-injuries

Page 2

Distracted Drivers Involved in Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes

In 2022, 53% of motor vehicle traffic crashes fit

the criteria of having at least one confirmed or

suspected distracted driver. This finding aligns

with naturalistic driving studies that used video

cameras and sensors installed in vehicles to

determine driver risk factors seconds before a

crash. According to a multi-state naturalistic

study, 51.9% of all crashes involved distracted,

non-impaired drivers.

Among the drivers involved in motor vehicle

traffic crashes, 2% were confirmed to be

distracted, 28% were suspected of distraction

and 24% were undistracted drivers involved in a

distraction-related crash—the other 47% of

drivers were not involved in distraction-related

crashes. Most distraction-related crashes

involved other vehicles —

 76% of all distraction-related crashes

involved at least one other vehicle besides

the distracted driver.

 24% of all distraction-related crashes were

ingle-vehicle crashes that only involved th

distracted driver’s vehicle.

Furthermore, among all single-vehicle crashes,

63% involved at least one confirmed or

suspected distracted driver. Among all multi-

vehicle crashes, 51% involved at least one

confirmed or suspected distracted driver.

Table 1.

Percent of All Traffic Crashes that

were Distraction-Related, 2022

Traffic Measure

2022

Crashes

Distraction-Related Crashes 53%

Confirmed distraction-related

crashes

Suspected distraction-related

crashes

49%

Not dis

traction-related crashes 47%

Drivers

Drivers involved in distraction-related

crashes

54%

Confirmed distracted driver 2%

Suspected distracted driver 28%

Undistracted driver (in another vehicle) 24%

Drivers not involved in dis

traction-

related crashes

47%

Source: CODES 2022

53%

of all motor vehicle traffic

crashes had at least one

confirmed or

suspected

distracted driver

in 2022.

Distraction-Related Traffic Fatalities and Serious Injuries

According to CODES preliminary data, 74 fatal crashes involved at

least one confirmed distracted driver (4.4% of all fatal crashes) in

2022. In these confirmed distraction-related crashes, 76 fatalities

occurred (4.2% of all traffic-related fatalities).

The true number of distraction-related fatal crashes and fatalities is

likely much higher. Table 2 shows the number and percent of

confirmed distraction-related fatal crashes and traffic fatalities

between 2018 and 2022.

Although it is challenging for law

enforcement to determine whether

distraction is a contributing factor in

a fatal crash, the police crash report

may be the only source available for

this information. Therefore, the

number of confirmed distraction-

related fatalities and serious injuries

is usually underreported.

Dingus, T. A., Guo, F., Lee, S., Antin, J. F., Perez, M., Buchanan-King, M., & Hankey, J. (2016). Driver crash risk factors and prevalence evaluation using naturalistic driving

data. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(10), 2636-2641. doi:10.1073/pnas.1513271113

See Data Considerations for more information on the suspected-distracted driving definition established by the GDOT and CODES

Page 3

Table 2. Confirmed Distraction-Related Fatal Crashes and Traffic Fatalities, 2018-2022

Year

Fatal Crashes

Fatalities

Total Fatal

Crashes

Confirmed Distraction-Related

Total Traffic

Fatalities

Confirmed Distraction-Related

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

2018 1,408 59 4.2% 1,505 65 4.3%

2019 1,378 43 3.1% 1,492 43 2.9%

2020 1,522 55 3.6% 1,664 61 3.7%

2021 1,681 52 3.0% 1,809 58 3.2%

2022 1,678 74 4.4% 1,797 76 4.2%

Source: FARS 2018-2022

In 2022, 30% of all serious injury

crashes

involved at least one driver confirmed or

suspected of distraction. The number of serious

injuries that involved a confirmed distracted

driver increased by 20 percent— from 354

serious injuries in 2021 to 423 in 2022.

Figure 1 shows the percent of fatal or serious

inj

uries involving at least one confirmed

distracted driver by person type in 2022.

 4

8% were in the confirmed distracted

driver’s vehicle (represented by teal in

Figure 1).

- 36% were distracted drivers

themselves.

- 12% were passengers of the

distracted driver.

 52% were occupants of other vehicles or

non-motorists (represented by brown and

peach in Figure 1).

- 39% were occupants of other vehicles

not operated by the distracted driver.

- 13% were non-motorists (i.e.,

pedestrians or bicyclists).

Eighty-on

e percent (81%) of confirmed

distracted drivers involved in motor vehicle

crashes did not have passenger occupants with

them in the vehicle. Nineteen percent (19%) of

confirmed distracted drivers had other

passenger occupants riding with them.

Figure 1. Percent of Persons Fatally or

Seriously Injured in Confirmed Distraction-

Related Crashes by Person Type, 2022

76 Fatal Injuries

423 Serious Injuries

Distracted vehicle

Undistracted vehicle or non-motorists

Source: FARS 2022, CODES 2022

Note: Undistracted vehicles were not reported to be confirmed distracted.

According to the “2023 Observational Survey of

Driver Distraction in Georgia,”

the proportion of

drivers handling a phone (talking, texting, or

dialing) was higher among unrestrained drivers

than restrained drivers – 8.5% of unrestrained

drivers were observed to be handling a phone, and

6.1% of restrained drivers exhibiting similar

distraction patterns.

Suspected serious injuries are reported by law enforcement and used when any injury, other than fatal injury, prevents the injured person from walking, driving, or normally

continuing the activities the person was capable of before the injury occurred.

Rupp, Jonathan. 2023. “Statewide Rates of Driver Distraction: An Observational Survey of Driver Distraction in Georgia, 2023”. The Injury Prevention Research Center at

Emory (IPRCE), Emory University: Atlanta, Georgia.

Confirmed Distracted

Drivers

36% (181)

Passengers of

Confirmed Distracted

Drivers

12% (58)

Occupants of

Other Vehicles

39% (196)

Non-Motorists

13% (64)

Page 4

Crash Characteristics

Table 3 below shows the rate of distraction-related motor vehicle traffic crashes (per 100M VMT) by region

type and roadway classification in 2022. Distraction-related crashes occur more frequently and at greater

rates on roadways with higher functional classifications compared to non-distraction related crashes.

 For the eleven counties in the Atlanta region, principal arterial roads were the road type with the highest

rate of distraction-related crashes —1,675.5 distraction-related crash rate (per 100M VMT).

 For other urban counties, principal arterial roads were the road type with the highest rate of distraction-

related crashes—975.5 distraction-related crash rate (per 100M VMT).

 For rural counties, collector roads were the road type with highest rate of distraction-related crashes—

414.8 distraction-related crash rate (per 100M VMT).

 Across all counties in Georgia, principal arterial roads had the highest rate of distraction-related

crashes—972.0 distraction-related crash rate (per 100M VMT).

Table 3.

Distraction-Related and Non-Distraction-Related Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Rate (per

100M VMT) by Region and Roadway Classification, 2022

Roadway

Classification

Atlanta Region

(11 counties)

Other Urban Counties

(30 counties)

Rural Counties

(118 counties)

Statewide

Distraction-

Non-

Distraction

Distraction-

Non-

Distraction

Distraction-

Non-

Distraction

Distraction-

Non-

Distraction

Interstate

612.4

203.3

194.8

99.4

108.6

79.9

374.9

144.7

Principal Arterial

1,675.5

1,190.9

975.5

751.4

349.5

346.6

972.0

745.2

Minor Arterial

1,319.6

1,330.9

749.7

759.1

381.8

397.8

870.7

882.5

Collectors

1,030.2

1,201.3

601.8

779.3

414.8

386.0

609.4

687.2

Local

388.4

549.0

329.7

511.2

287.5

413.7

347.2

508.1

All Roadways* 895.9 718.3 549.4 521.2 326.2 324.2 627.6 547.3

*Total includes freeway/ramp roadway classifications. Note: Principal arterials include freeways, and multilane highways (e.g., Buford Highway in DeKalb County and SR-520 &

-82 in Atkinson County). Minor arterials are other important multilane roadways that supplement the highways (e.g., Spring Street in Fulton County and SR-56 in Richmond

County). Collector roads are roads that connect local roads and streets with arterials.

Source: 2022 Numetric Roadway Function Class, 2022 GDOT 445 Mileage by Route Type and Functional Classification (VMT unadjusted)

Figure 2 shows the proportion of all motor vehicle crashes that were distraction-related by county and their

deviation from the statewide percent of distraction-related crashes (53%). For additional information, see

the Appendix for the percent of distraction-related crashes by county. Generally, there are lower

proportions of distraction-related crashes among all crashes in the coastal plain and South Georgia region.

 Eight out of the eleven counties within the

Atlanta Region had a greater percentage

of distraction-related crashes compared to

the statewide percent.

 Two out of 30 other urban counties and 19

out of 118 rural counties had a greater

percentage of distraction-related crashes

compared to the statewide percent.

 The counties with the highest proportion

of distraction-related crashes are Baker

(76%) and Crawford (71%)—which are

classified as rural counties.

Figure 2.

Percent of Distraction-Related Traffic Crashes

and Deviation from the Statewide Percent by County,

2022

68-78% Distraction-Related Crashes

58-67%

51-57% — statewide percent (53%)

41-50%

28-40%

Source: CODES 2022. Note: Counties that are light to dark teal have a lower percentage of

distraction-related crashes compared to the statewide percent. Counties that are light to dark

orange have a higher percentage of distraction-related crashes compared to the statewide percent.

The Atlanta Region includes the ten counties that are defined by the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC): Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth,

Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties.

In July 2021, Forsyth County officially joined ARC, becoming the 11

county member.

Page 5

Distracted Driver Convictions (Crash and Non-Crash)

On July 1, 2018, Georgia’s Hands-Free Law (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-241) furthered the “no texting while driving”

law and made it illegal for drivers (including young drivers) to physically hold or support a wireless

communications device while driving. Under this law, drivers can be cited and convicted for distracted

driving that may or may not have resulted in a motor vehicle traffic crash. Amendments to the law also

provided the point system for suspension or revocation of license for habitually negligent or dangerous

drivers. While first-time offenders of Georgia’s Hands-Free Law can be excused if they provide evidence

that they have obtained a device that allows them to use hands-free communication technology, the

increase in enforcement and convictions for distracted driving indicates a growing traffic safety concern. See

the “Legal Perspective” section for more information regarding how the legal codes for distracted driving

citations and convictions have changed over time in Georgia.

Table 4 presents the number of distracted

driver convictions (that may or may not have

resulted in a motor vehicle traffic crash),

licensed drivers, and distracted driver

conviction rates from 2013 to 2022.

While the number of distracted driving

convictions increased steadily over the 10-

year period, the number of convictions

reported to DDS more than doubled from

2017 to 2018 (2.2 times) and from 2018 to

2019 (2.6 times). In 2022, the number of

distracted driving convictions and rate per

licensed drivers increased by 7% compared

to 2021.

Figure 3 shows the number of distracted

driver convictions processed by DDS from

January 2017 to December 2022. After the

law took effect, the number of convictions

processed by DDS increased 5.5 times during

the first 18 months, from 965 distracted driver

convictions in July 2018 to 5,344 in December

2019. However, the number of distracted

driving convictions processed by DDS

decreased significantly during the 2020 year

during the COVID-19 public health

emergency response in Georgia. The higher

number of distracted driving convictions

processed in 2022 suggests that the court

reporting and processing may have returned

to pre-pandemic norms.

Table 4.

Distracted Driver Convictions, Licensed Drivers,

and Distracted Driver Conviction Rate, 2013-2022

Year

Distracted

Driver

Convictions

Licensed

Drivers

Distracted Driver

Conviction Rate

per 100,000 Licensed Drivers

2013 5,162 7,043,349 73.3

2014 5,837 7,099,538 82.2

2015 6,883 7,263,758 94.8

2016 9,148 7,337,619 124.7

2017 11,505 7,414,323 155.2

2018 25,593 7,512,197 340.7

2019 65,625 7,616,176 861.7

2020 31,173 7,891,390 395.0

2021 43,846 8,007,599 547.6

2022 48,776 8,341,774 584.7

Note: Distracted driver convictions may or may not have resulted in a motor vehicle traffic crash.

The distracted driver convictions are summarized by the year the violation occurred. License totals

include individuals with permits/provisional licenses and unexpired, suspended licenses.

Source: DDS 2013-2022

Figure 3.

Distracted Driver Convictions, January 2017 –

December 2022

Note: Distracted driver convictions may or may not have resulted in a motor vehicle traffic

crash. The distracted driver convictions are summarized by the year DDS processed the

conviction. Source: DDS 2017-2022 Distracted Driver Report by Process Month.

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

Jan

Apr

Jul

Oct

Jan

Apr

Jul

Oct

Jan

Apr

Jul

Oct

Jan

Apr

Jul

Oct

Jan

Apr

Jul

Oct

Jan

Apr

Jul

Oct

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Georgia's Hands-Free Law

Effective July 1, 2018

Governor declared a Public Health

State of Emergency for COVID-19

March 2020

The COVID-19 response caused many Georgia courts to

temporarily postpone court hearings, including traffic

court, and many traffic safety law enforcement officers

were reassigned to other critical and high-priority areas.

Therefore, many distracted driving convictions may not

have been reported to the Department of Driver Services.

Page 6

Table 5 shows the counties with the highest

number of distracted driving convictions

processed by DDS and the rate of

distracted driver convictions per 100,000

licensed drivers in 2022.

Gwinnett County has consistently had the

highest number of distracted driving

convictions compared to any other county.

From 2011-2017 (before the Hands-Free

Law), Gwinnett represented 26% of all

distracted driving convictions across the

state. In 2022, however, Gwinnett

represented 11% of all distracted driving

convictions reported across the state—

indicative of Gwinnett’s consistent

enforcement of distracted driving laws and

other counties increasing their distracted

driving enforcement. The top five counties

with the greatest number of distracted

convictions processed by DDS represented

26% of all distracted driving convictions

(12,561 out of 48,766) and 148 Georgia

counties represented 74% of all distracted

driving convictions. In 2022, six counties did

not have any distracted driving convictions

processed by DDS.

f all drivers issued one or more citations

olved in a motor vehicle traffic crash,

nearly two out of every 100 drivers received

a distracted driving citation. Table 6 shows

the counties with the highest number of

distracted driver citations issued after a

motor vehicle traffic crash incident and the

rate of distracted driver citations for every

1,000 distraction-related motor vehicle

crashes in 2022. The five counties with the

greatest number of distracted driving

citations issued after a crash represented

32% of all distracted driving citations issued

after a crash (1,416 out of 4,335) and 146

Georgia counties represented 68% of all

distracted driving citations after a crash. In

2022, eight counties did not have any

distracted driving citations issued after a

crash.

Table 5.

Top Five Counties with the Highest

Distracted Driver Convictions and Distracted

Driver Conviction Rate, 2022

Number of

Distracted Driver

Convictions

Distracted Driver

Conviction Rate

per 100,000 Licensed Drivers

Rank

County

Number

Rank

County

Rate

Gwinnett 5,365

Liberty 3,583.7

Henry 2,242

Jenkins 3,524.5

Clarke 1,684

Banks 3,224.5

Liberty 1,683

Turner 2,948.9

Chatham 1,587

Cook 2,473.9

Note: The distracted driving violations presented in the table occurred in 2022 and may or may

not have resulted in a motor vehicle traffic crash. While first-time offenders of Georgia’s Hands-

Free Law can be excused if they provide evidence that they have obtained a device that allows

them to use hands-free communication technology, the increase in enforcement and convictions

for distracted driving indicates a growing traffic safety concern. Rates were calculated when the

number of convictions in the county was greater than or equal to ten.

Source: DDS 2022

See the “Additional Information” to access the

Appendix for this document. The appendix includes

the following information by county: Licensed drivers

 Distracted driver citations issued after a motor

vehicle traffic crash incident  Convictions processed

by the Department of Driver Services  Percent and

rank of distraction-related motor vehicle crashes.

Table 6.

Counties with the Highest Distracted Driver

Citations Issued After a Motor Vehicle (MV) Traffic

Crash and Distracted Driver Citation Rate, 2022

Number of

Distracted Driver

Citations Issued After a

MV Crash

Distracted Driver

Citation Rate

per 1,000 Suspected or Confirmed

Distracted Driving Crashes

Rank County Number Rank County Rate

Fulton 437 1 Pulaski 189.7

Chatham 356 2 Turner 162.8

Gwinnett 242 3 Dooly 144.7

Cobb 236 4 Dade 109.2

Hall /

Paulding

145 5 Taylor 106.8

Source: CODES 2022

Note: Rates were calculated when the number of citations in the county was greater than or

equal to ten. Hall and Paulding counties have equal number of citations issued after a motor

vehicle crash in 2022. The resulting convictions of citations issued after a motor vehicle

crash is not known.

Page 7

Distracted Drivers by Age Group

While drivers aged 15-to-24 years represented 15% of all

licensed drivers in 2022, they were more involved in

distraction-related motor vehicle crashes and received more

distracted driving citations after a crash compared to any other

age group (Table 7). Compared to drivers in other age groups,

drivers aged 15-to-24 years represented:

 26% of all suspected or confirmed distracted drivers

involved in crashes;

 28% of all confirmed distracted drivers involved in

fatal crashes;

 32% of all drivers issued a distracted driver citation

after a crash; and

 21% of all distracted driving convictions.

According to the 2021 High School

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance

System, 29% of Georgia high school

students texted or e-mailed while

driving a car or other vehicle during

the 30 days before the survey

Table 7. Licensed Drivers, Confirmed or Suspected Distracted Drivers Involved in Types of Motor

Vehicle (MV) Crashes, Distracted Driver Citations Issued after a Motor Vehicle Crash, Distracted

Driver Convictions by Age Group, 2022

Age

Group

Licensed

Drivers

Confirmed or Suspected

Distracted Driver

Involved in a Crash

Confirmed Distracted

Driver Involved in a

Fatal Crash

Distracted Driver

Citations Issued

Post-Crash

Distracted Driver

Convictions

(Crash or Non-Crash)

15-24

15%

26%

28%

32%

21%

15-20

13%

18%

17%

21-24

12%

10%

15%

13%

25-34

17%

24%

28%

32%

35-44

16%

18%

22%

18%

22%

45-54

16%

13%

18%

10%

13%

55-64

16%

11%

65+

20%

TOTAL

100%

Note: Distracted driver convictions may or may not have resulted in a motor vehicle traffic crash. Percents are calculated using records with known age over 15 years. * FARS 2022

data was not available during the time of reporting. Source: DDS 2022, CODES 2022

The Georgia Distracted Driving Observational

Survey estimates the statewide prevalence of

driver distraction during the daylight hours.

According to the 2023 survey, observed

distracted driving decreases as age

increases, with younger drivers exhibiting

higher rates of distraction compared to older

drivers. In 2023, 23% of drivers aged 16 to 24

years, 21% of drivers aged 25 to 69 years,

and 9% of drivers 70 years and older were

observed to be distracted while driving.

Figure 4.

Observed Driver Distraction in Georgia by

Age Group, 2023

Source: 2023 Georgia Distracted Driving Observational Survey

The differences in the proportion of convictions processed by the

Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) and the proportions of

drivers observed to be distracted can be attributed to several factors.

These factors may include differences in citation procedures,

enforcement priorities, court processes, technological factors,

legislative factors, and other systems of influence.

Source: 2021 CDC (The YRBS is conducted every two years among a representative group of Georgia public school students.)

23%

21%

16-24 25-69 70+

Age Group (Years)

Page 8

Other Distracted Driving Studies

National Distracted Driving Report

As of July 2020, Georgia is one of a few states that banned the handheld use of cell

phones and text messaging while driving. According to a Cambridge Mobile Telematics

(CMT) study, distracted driving reduced after Georgia’s Hands-Free Law was enacted on

July 1, 2018. The study showed a 23.7% reduction after the first two weeks and a 17.9%

reduction after the first three months the Georgia law took effect (CMT, 2020 ). Despite

these immediate reductions in distracted driving after the law was enacted, other national

studies (including crash data and attitudinal surveys) show that the change in driver

behavior was not sustainable, especially with the growth of new technologies.

 The CMT study estimates that drivers spent 1 minute and 38 seconds on average

distracted on their phones for each hour of driving in February 2022 – a 30%

increase compared to February 2020 (CMT, 2022 ).

 Additionally, in a 2020 observational study conducted by the National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration, 2.8% of all drivers were observed holding a cell

phone to their ears while driving. This study also estimates that 7.9% of drivers

were using a handheld or hands-free cellphone device during daylight hours

(National Center for Statistics and Analysis, 2020 ).

In-Vehicle Infotainment Systems

AAA study of in-vehicle infotainment systems (modern integrated systems within motor

vehicles that provides information, entertainment, and connectivity features) can cause

additional distraction for drivers operating a motor vehicle. These systems create a

medium to heavy cognitive load in drivers and need to be engineered to reduce that load

on drivers. Audio, calling, texting, and navigation were the activities studied. AAA found

that in-vehicle infotainment created potentially unsafe distraction for all drivers, but

particularly older drivers. Older drivers (55 to 75 years of age) experience slower times to

complete in-vehicle tasks while driving compared to younger drivers (25 to 40 years of

age)—18 to 31 seconds versus 25 to 40 seconds, respectively.

Page 9

Legal Perspective

On July 1, 2018, Georgia’s Hands-Free Law further expanded the “no texting while driving” law and

made it illegal for drivers (including young drivers) to have a phone in their hand or for a phone to touch

any part of their body while driving. This policy change provided greater specification for a distracted

driving offense and clarification of the Hands-Free Law for law enforcement to further address distracted

driving on Georgia roadways.

The number of convictions processed by DDS more than doubled from 2017 to 2018 (2.2 times) and

from 2018 to 2019 (2.5 times).

 The most common code used before the Hands-Free Law was O.C.G.A. 40-6-241 “Failure to

exercise due care/careless driving.”

 After the Hands-Free Law became effective, O.C.G.A. 40-6-241(c) “Unlawful use of wireless

device” is the most commonly used legal code in distracted driving convictions.

Table 8. Distracted Driver Convictions Reported to Department of Driver Services by Legal Code

and Violation Year, 2013-2022

Convictions Codes

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018* 2019 2020** 2021 2022

O.C.G.A. 40-6-241

Failure to exercise due care/careless

driving

2,601 2,756 3,895 5,231 7,175 3,818 - - -

O.C.G.A. 40-6-241(b)

Failure to exercise due care

- - - - - 2,778 4,802 2,170 4,092 5,702

O.C.G.A. 40-6-241(c)

Unlawful use of wireless device

- - - - - 16,702 60,729 28,957 39,627 42,841

O.C.G.A. 40-6-241(d)

Unlawful use of wireless device in

Commercial Motor Vehicle

- - - - - 47 94 46 127 223

O.C.G.A. 40-6-241.1

Unlawful use of wireless device <18 /

using hand-held phone, driving

204 278 217 373 491 230 - - -

O.C.G.A. 40-6-241.2 *

Operating a vehicle while text

messaging/texting while driving

2,357 2,803 801 - - - - - -

O.C.G.A. 40-6-241.2(b)(1) Operating a

vehicle while text messaging/texting

while driving

- - 1,943 3,432 3,702 1,938 - - -

O.C.G.A. 40-6-241.2(b)(2)(A) Holding

wireless device for voice

communication/using hand-held

phone, driving

- - 26 109 131 76 - - -

O.C.G.A. 40-6-241.2(b)(2)(B) Using >1

button on wireless device for voice

comm./using hand-held phone, driving

- - 1 3 6 4 - - -

O.C.G.A. 40-6-241.2(b)(2)(C) Reaching

for wireless device/using hand-held

phone, driving

- - - - - - - - -

TOTAL

5,162 5,837 6,883 9,148 11,505 25,593 65,625 31,173 43,846 48,766

Source: Distracted Driver Convictions Reported to Department of Driver Services Summarized by Violation Year, 2022

*On July 1, 2018, Georgia’s Hands-Free Law (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-241)

**Governor declared a Public Health State of Emergency for COVID-19 March 2020

* O.C.G.A. § 40-6-241.1 and O.C.G.A.§ 40-6-241.2 repealed by 2018 Ga. Laws 298,§ 6, eff. 7/1/2018.

Page 10

Data Definitions and Considerations:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines confirmed distraction-related activities as anything that

takes a driver’s eyes off the road (visual distraction), mind off the road (cognitive distraction), or hands off the wheel (manual

distraction).

Police crash reports are reviewed in a post hoc analysis by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, Georgia Department of

Public Health, and the Georgia Department of Transportation using a jointly developed definition of suspected distracted

driving based on multiple factors. The imputation of suspected distracted drivers includes drivers that indicate emotional

distress and evidence of driver inattention and distraction. The imputation removes driver contributing factors that include

drug/alcohol impairment, sleepiness/drowsiness, aggressive/reckless driving, and speeding. The definition also excludes

roadway and vehicle contributing factors. The CODES Analytical Reference Guide is available upon request.

A traffic crash is defined as an incident that involved one or more motor vehicles where at least one vehicle was in transport,

and the crash originated on a public trafficway, such as a road or highway. Crashes that occurred on private property,

including parking lots and driveways, are excluded.

Fatal crashes are defined as crashes that involve a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public

and that resulted in the death of a motorist or a non-motorist within 30 days of the crash.

Suspected serious injuries are reported by law enforcement and used when any injury, other than fatal injury, prevents the

injured person from walking, driving, or normally continuing the activities the person was capable of before the injury

occurred.

The Department of Driver Services licensing database is a live database system and represents the information at a point-

in-time on the date of extraction.

The Georgia’s Hands-Free Law (House Bill 673 (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-241)) of 2018 introduced new legal codes to enforce the

“no texting while driving” law. Some Georgia counties may not have reported distracted driver convictions in 2019.

Additional Information:

Other general information on distracted

driving may be accessed at:

• ht

tps://dds.georgia.gov/distracted-

driver-data-reports

• https://www.gahighwaysafety.org/high

way-safety/shsp/

Other fact sheets available at the

Governor’s Office of Highway Safety

and Crash Outcomes Data Evaluation

Systems (CODES) are Older Drivers,

Young Drivers, Motorcycles, Non-

Motorists (Pedestrians & Bicyclists),

and Occupant Protection.

The suggested APA format citation for this

document is:

Crash Outcomes Data Evaluation

System. (2023, April). Distracted

Drivers: 2022 Preliminary data.

(Georgia Traffic Safety Facts).

Atlanta, GA: Governor’s Office of

Highway Safety.

References:

Rupp, Jonathan. 2023. “Statewide Rates of Driver Distraction: An

Observational Survey of Driver Distraction in Georgia, 2023”. The

Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory (IPRCE), Emory

University: Atlanta, Georgia.

World Health Organization. (2023). “Road Traffic Injuries” Available online:

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/road-traffic-injuries

Dingus, T. A., Guo, F., Lee, S., Antin, J. F., Perez, M., Buchanan-King, M.,

& Hankey, J. (2016). Driver crash risk factors and prevalence

evaluation using naturalistic driving data. Proceedings of the National

Academy of Sciences, 113(10), 2636-2641.

doi:10.1073/pnas.1513271113

National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2024, January). Driver

electronic device use in 2022 (Traffic Safety Facts Research Note.

Report No. DOT HS 813 531). National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration. Available online:

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813531

Cambridge Mobile Telematics (2022). “2022 US Distracted Driving

Report.” Available online: www.cmtelematics.com/the-2022-us-

distracted-driving-report.

Cambridge Mobile Telematics (2020). “The Harsh Realities of Phone

Distraction.” Available online:

https://www.cmtelematics.com/phone_distraction_report/

American Automobile Association. (2019, July). Vehicle Infotainment

Systems Especially Distracting to Older Drivers. AAA Newsroom.

Available online: https://newsroom.aaa.com/2019/07/vehicle-

infotainment-systems-especially-distracting-older-drivers/

Page 11

Appendix

Distracted Drivers Georgia Traffic Safety Facts

(2022)

This document is the appendix for the 2022 Distracted Drivers Georgia Traffic Safety Facts.

Visit https://www.gahighwaysafety.org/highway-safety/shsp/ to access the full report.

Distracted Driver convictions are convictions processed at the Georgia Department of Driver Services. The total convictions

include the following codes based on the county where the violation occurred.

O.C.G.A. 40-6-241(b)

Failure to exercise due care

O.C.G.A. 40-6-241(c)

Unlawful use of wireless device

O.C.G.A. 40-6-241(d)

Unlawful use of wireless device in CMV

Data Considerations:

 On July 1, 2018, Georgia’s Hands-Free Law furthered the “no texting while driving” law and made it illegal for drivers

(including young drivers) to physically hold or support a wireless communications device while driving. Under Georgia’s

Hands-Free Law, drivers can be cited and convicted for distracted driving that may or may not have resulted in a motor

vehicle traffic crash. While first-time offenders of Georgia’s Hands-Free Law can be excused if they provide evidence that

they have obtained a device that allows them to use hands-free communication technology, the increase in enforcement

and convictions for distracted driving indicates a growing traffic safety concern.

 Gwinnett County has consistently had the highest number of distracted driving convictions compared to any other county.

From 2011-2017 (prior to the Hands-Free Law), Gwinnett represented 11% of all distracted driving convictions across t

state.

 Some Georgia counties may not have reported all or any distracted driver convictions in 2022. There were 578 distracted

iving convictions in 2022, where the county of violation was not known.

Licensed Drivers, Citations Issued after Motor Vehicle Crash, Distracted Driving Convictions,

and Percent Confirmed or Suspected Distracted Drivers (Distraction-Related) Involved in Motor

Vehicle Crashes by County, 2022

County Name

Licensed

Drivers

Distracted

Driving

Convictions

Distracted

Driving Citations

Issued After a

Crash

MV Traffic Crashes

Percent Distraction-

Total

Crashes

Percent Rank

STATEWIDE 8,223,689

48,766 43,335 53% 383,633

Appling 14,119 94 <10 58%

(18)

537

Atkinson

5,603

<10

41%

(132)

122

Bacon 8,098 14 <10 54%

(40)

253

Baker

2,334

77%

(1)

Baldwin 30,008 311 <10 56%

(27)

1,817

Banks

16,747

540

<10

51%

(62)

564

Barrow 72,636 80 12 53%

(59)

3,090

Bartow

93,016

1,146

113

54%

(40)

4,057

Ben Hill 12,374 50 <10 42%

(123)

464

Berrien

14,216

101

52%

(62)

501

Bibb 108,468 117 18 50%

(78)

6,731

Bleckley

9,306

<10

38%

(138)

167

Brantley 14,073 42 <10 47%

(97)

210

Brooks

11,328

<10

46%

(110)

348

Bryan 37,453 162 <10 54%

(40)

1,236

Bulloch

52,657

801

119

51%

(62)

2,424

Burke 18,406 154 11 59%

(13)

593

Page 12

Licensed Drivers, Citations Issued after Motor Vehicle Crash, Distracted Driving Convictions, and

Percent Confirmed or Suspected Distracted Drivers (Distraction-Related) Involved in Motor Vehicle

Crashes by County, 2022 (con’t)

County Name

Licensed

Drivers

Distracted

Driving

Convictions

Distracted

Driving

Citations Issued

After a Crash

MV Traffic Crashes

Percent Distraction-

Total

Crashes

Butts 20,778 180 <10 50%

(78)

632

Calhoun 3,

372 22 <10 42%

(123)

Camden

43,998

258

41%

(128)

1,114

Candler 8,219 75 <10 40%

(136)

278

Carroll 98,134 161 43 53%

(51)

4,014

Catoosa 55,

140 898 80 54%

(51)

2,188

Charlton 7,687 <10 <10 51%

(62)

156

Chatham

218,684

1,587

356

49%

(78)

14,461

Chattahoochee 4,635 <10 <10 36%

(149)

Chattooga 19,

293 41 <10 44%

(116)

446

Cherokee 223,816 817 75 60%

(10)

6,771

Clarke 78,

005 1,684 119 51%

(62)

5,267

Clay

2,219

54%

(51)

Clayton 200,849 1,203 103 54%

(40)

14,242

Clinch 4,808 15 <10 38%

(138)

Cobb 589,

633 796 236 56%

(27)

28,141

Coffee 29,167 352 25 38%

(138)

1,024

Colquitt

32,839

282

49%

(91)

1,230

Columbia 127,525 423 10 60%

(13)

4,701

Cook 13,

501 334 17 48%

(91)

532

Coweta 123,589 918 82 57%

(27)

4,726

Crawford 10,

326 12 <10 71%

(2)

279

Crisp

15,089

48%

(97)

769

Dade 13,753 166 13 54%

(40)

220

Dawson 26,861 335 17 56%

(27)

1,038

Decatur 20,

934 64 10 36%

(145)

608

Dekalb 536,885 1,030 113 58%

(18)

38,651

Dodge

13,782

<10

36%

(149)

332

Dooly 7,040 104 23 48%

(91)

328

Dougherty 59,

373 468 43 45%

(110)

3,450

Douglas 112,043 481 51 51%

(74)

5,612

Early 8,

025 11 <10 57%

(27)

277

Echols

2,557

<10

59%

(13)

Effingham 56,035 168 <10 48%

(91)

1,469

Elbert 16,259 76 <10 45%

(110)

343

Emanuel 16,

884 226 <10 38%

(138)

410

Evans 7,624 35 <10 35%

(149)

141

Fannin

23,791

160

<10

53%

(51)

785

Fayette 104,153 1,380 24 59%

(13)

3,649

Floyd 75,

842 1,066 37 52%

(62)

3,481

Forsyth 205,799 464 29 58%

(18)

6,334

Franklin 19,

669 344 <10 55%

(37)

836

Page 13

Licensed Drivers, Citations Issued after Motor Vehicle Crash, Distracted Driving Convictions, and

Percent Confirmed or Suspected Distracted Drivers (Distraction-Related) Involved in Motor Vehicle

Crashes by County, 2022 (con’t)

County Name

Licensed

Drivers

Distracted

Driving

Convictions

Distracted

Driving

Citations Issued

After a Crash

MV Traffic Crashes

Percent Distraction-

Total

Crashes

Fulton 777,984 1,518 437 52%

(59)

56,618

Gilmer 27,

772 66 10 47%

(97)

896

Glascock

2,279

<10

47%

(97)

Glynn 67,843 1,170 35 50%

(74)

2,574

Gordon 46,971 422 24 45%

(110)

1,773

Grady 17,

877 160 12 40%

(136)

317

Greene 17,267 <10 <10 59%

(18)

645

Gwinnett

716,264

5,365

242

57%

(27)

32,511

Habersham 37,335 642 50 50%

(78)

1,216

Hall 168,

257 1,587 145 53%

(51)

8,023

Hancock 6,243 <10 -- 37%

(143)

Haralson 26,

372 42 <10 40%

(132)

535

Harris

30,408

234

52%

(62)

580

Hart 22,308 <10 <10 54%

(51)

881

Heard 9,984 <10 <10 54%

(40)

222

Henry 198,

244 2,242 45 57%

(27)

10,780

Houston 128,960 680 83 52%

(62)

4,176

Irwin

7,240

<10

50%

(78)

206

Jackson 66,890 292 19 52%

(59)

2,743

Jasper 13,

246 21 <10 56%

(27)

345

Jeff Davis 10,982 110 <10 36%

(149)

262

Jefferson 12,

220 67 -- 34%

(155)

205

Jenkins

5,703

201

<10

40%

(132)

Johnson 6,144 54 <10 63%

(5)

125

Jones 23,902 115 <10 60%

(10)

673

Lamar 16,

283 59 <10 52%

(62)

471

Lanier 6,754 10 <10 46%

(110)

127

Laurens

38,636

241

42%

(128)

1,559

Lee 26,943 293 <10 59%

(18)

480

Liberty 46,

963 1,683 54 50%

(78)

1,785

Lincoln 6,926 -- -- 37%

(145)

Long 12,

969 90 <10 47%

(97)

268

Lowndes

83,472

455

104

47%

(105)

3,697

Lumpkin 26,634 57 14 56%

(27)

842

Macon 7,714 94 <10 36%

(149)

151

Madison 25,

910 -- <10 57%

(24)

728

Marion 5,926 35 <10 41%

(128)

McDuffie

16,948

<10

44%

(116)

634

McIntosh 10,394 80 <10 34%

(156)

107

Meriwether 18,

738 131 <10 50%

(78)

371

Miller 4,316 <10 <10 36%

(145)

Mitchell 15,

485 38 <10 49%

(78)

493

Page 14

Licensed Drivers, Citations Issued after Motor Vehicle Crash, Distracted Driving Convictions, and

Percent Confirmed or Suspected Distracted Drivers (Distraction-Related) Involved in Motor Vehicle

Crashes by County, 2022 (con’t)

County Name

Licensed

Drivers

Distracted

Driving

Convictions

Distracted

Driving

Citations Issued

After a Crash

MV Traffic Crashes

Percent Distraction-

Total

Crashes

Monroe 28,277 315 <10 58%

(24)

1,301

Montgomery 6,

315 48 <10 61%

(8)

185

Morgan

18,365

170

<10

56%

(37)

830

Murray 31,017 248 20 36%

(149)

790

Muscogee 138,626 50 112 49%

(78)

6,759

Newton 97,

272 641 32 55%

(40)

3,189

Oconee 35,605 151 <10 66%

(3)

1,542

Oglethorpe

13,148

165

<10

65%

(3)

314

Paulding 139,211 583 145 51%

(62)

3,940

Peach 20,

351 89 15 47%

(105)

1,144

Pickens 31,363 43 16 51%

(74)

928

Pierce 16,

116 33 <10 50%

(78)

403

Pike

17,465

183

<10

63%

(5)

322

Polk 34,485 63 10 47%

(105)

1,007

Pulaski 6,656 54 11 46%

(105)

126

Putnam 19,

304 99 -- 64%

(5)

742

Quitman 1,740 12 <10 36%

(145)

Rabun

15,541

50%

(78)

491

Randolph 4,716 -- <10 41%

(132)

Richmond 139,

348 339 36 54%

(40)

8,780

Rockdale 71,903 766 29 54%

(51)

3,884

Schley 3,

613 20 <10 49%

(91)

Screven

11,268

34%

(156)

182

Seminole 7,322 18 <10 39%

(138)

Spalding 56,296 971 18 46%

(105)

1,983

Stephens 22,

351 69 18 44%

(121)

648

Stewart 2,868 15 <10 55%

(40)

Sumter

20,552

295

42%

(123)

781

Talbot 4,868 71 <10 54%

(40)

Taliaferro 1,

308 -- <10 51%

(62)

133

Tattnall 15,092 69 <10 38%

(143)

293

Taylor 6,

157 32 11 54%

(40)

190

Telfair

7,317

109

<10

29%

(158)

125

Terrell 6,750 91 <10 26%

(159)

147

Thomas 36,002 153 25 48%

(97)

1,517

Tift 29,

779 425 35 44%

(121)

1,474

Toombs 20,487 129 <10 50%

(78)

929

Towns

12,112

<10

56%

(37)

239

Treutlen 4,822 16 <10 43%

(123)

155

Troup 54,

313 69 64 53%

(51)

2,985

Turner 6,511 192 14 42%

(128)

206

Twiggs 6,

724 104 <10 57%

(24)

500

Page 15

Licensed Drivers, Citations Issued after Motor Vehicle Crash, Distracted Driving Convictions, and

Percent Confirmed or Suspected Distracted Drivers (Distraction-Related) Involved in Motor Vehicle

Crashes by County, 2022 (con’t)

County Name

Licensed

Drivers

Distracted

Driving

Convictions

Distracted

Driving

Citations Issued

After a Crash

MV Traffic Crashes

Percent Distraction-

Total

Crashes

Union 24,434 35 12 56%

(27)

673

Upson 22,

737 159 20 45%

(116)

703

Walker

54,686

407

45%

(116)

1,179

Walton 86,764 242 18 48%

(91)

2,562

Ware 26,016 33 <10 48%

(97)

1,160

Warren 4,

145 <10 <10 42%

(123)

166

Washington 14,851 71 <10 59%

(13)

528

Wayne

23,026

48%

(97)

674

Webster 1,936 28 <10 45%

(110)

Wheeler 3,

768 22 <10 45%

(116)

White 25,263 273 11 51%

(74)

759

Whitfield 77,

646 825 97 50%

(78)

3,493

Wilcox

5,523

<10

60%

(10)

Wilkes 7,734 92 <10 51%

(62)

131

Wilkinson 7,346 <10 <10 59%

(18)

214

Worth 15,

315 52 <10 61%

(8)

651

Page 16