A recent study conducted by Zutobi shows that men in Tennessee are nearly three times more likely than women to be involved in a fatal crash that involves distracted driving. That is higher than the national average that shows men are two times more likely than women to be involved in a distracted driver ‘fatal crash.’

What does this mean nationwide? Well, male drivers were distracted in 2,125 fatal crashes in 2020, whereas women drivers were only distracted in 781 fatal crashes during the same period.

In Tennessee there were 69 fatal accidents tied to distracted driving, according to 2020 statistics. Broken down, the numbers indicate that 51 male drivers were involved in fatal distracted crashes in 2020, compared to 18 women involved in fatal wrecks where distracted driving was the root cause.

According to the survey by Zutobi, the only state that recorded the opposite was Alaska, where there were 50% more women involved in fatal wrecks tied to distracted driving than men. Also, in Vermont there was an equal number of men and women involved in deadly crashes that were caused by distracted driving.

In looking at all wrecks throughout the U.S. that were caused by distracted driving since 2015, the total number of distracted driving crashes resulting in any injury have bounced between 265,000 to 295,000 crashes each year. In 2020 the number dropped significantly, down to 215,000.

RUTHERFORD COUNTY FATAL ACCIDENTS: Specifically in Rutherford County, there was only 1-fatal accident caused by distracted driving this year (2022). When going further back into crash reports for Rutherford County, WGNS found that between January 1, 2019 and March 31, 2022, there were 4-fatal accidents tied to distracted driving. In all 4-cases, only 1 involved a driver using a cellphone and the drivers in all 4-fatal crashes were above the age of 25.  

Overall, this year there have been 22 accidents in Rutherford County that resulted in a death. 2-Accidents involved pedestrians, 2-were operating a motorcycle, 1-accident involved a large commercial truck, 6 were teenage drivers, 1 driver was over the age of 65 and 9 drivers were between the ages of 20 and 64. Of the 22-fatal accidents in Rutherford County, only 1 victim was a passenger.

THIS YEAR IN TENNESSEE: So far this year in the Volunteer State there has been a total of 660 fatal accidents, as of Friday, July 15, 2022 at 6AM. Of that number, 32 of the crashes were tied to distracted driving. During the same period of time last year (2021), there were 36 fatal accidents blamed on distracted driving in Tennessee.