A new study found that distracted driving behavior has been reduced the most in the Midwest but is the worst in the northeast. The death toll on U.S. roads keeps rising and more advocates and safety researchers are looking for ways to curb the problem. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that up to 97% of crashes that lead to fatal injuries are due to human error, and one leading cause of these accidents is distracted driving.

A new study completed by Safe Wise looked at 2016 data to illustrate the impact of distracted driving. They found that 9% of all vehicle fatalities and 6% of driver fatalities were directly linked to distracted driving. They found that the district of Columbia was the safest place to drive, whereas the deadliest state to drive using these parameters appeared to be Mississippi. Safe Wise also calculated the average incidence of phone use causing distracted driving and estimates this across the country at around 14%.

Distracted driving behavior was found to be most prevalent among the youngest drivers followed by those between the ages of 20 and 29. But it is important to realize that any driver who is manipulating their phone behind the wheel is putting themselves and others at risk for serious injury.