Driving distractions beyond your phone: what real world research shows
How eating, kids, pets and passengers raise crash risk, and habits that keep you focused
Picture a driver merging onto a highway when a coffee cup tips, a toddler’s toy hits the floor and the dog climbs toward the front seat. None of this involves a phone, yet each one pulls eyes, hands or attention away from the road.
Phones get most of the attention, but they are only part of the picture. In 2024, NHTSA counted 3,208 deaths in crashes where a driver was identified as distracted. Crash reports linked 437 of those deaths to phone use [1]. The rest were tied to other or unspecified distractions.
Traffic safety researchers study these everyday moments with naturalistic driving studies, which place cameras and sensors in ordinary cars for months or years. This article explains what that research shows about reaching, eating, drinking, grooming, car controls, passengers, children, pets and emotions, with a practical prevention tactic for each.
What cameras in real cars reveal about distraction
Police reports miss a lot. NHTSA notes that distraction is likely underreported in crash data, partly because report forms differ from state to state [1].
The largest naturalistic study is the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) study. It followed more than 3,500 drivers and analyzed 905 crashes involving injury or property damage [2]. Researchers compared what drivers did just before each crash with nearly 20,000 randomly chosen moments of normal driving.
Drivers were doing something distracting in about 52% of those normal moments and in about 68% of the crashes [2]. The authors estimated that 36% of U.S. crashes, about 4 million a year, might be avoided without distraction [2].
Results are reported as odds ratios, where 2 means about twice the crash odds of “model driving,” which the researchers defined as alert, attentive and sober. An odds ratio below 1 means lower odds.
The common thread: where your eyes go, and for how long
Researchers sort distraction into three types. Visual distraction takes your eyes off the road. Manual distraction takes your hands off the wheel. Cognitive distraction takes your mind off driving. Many tasks involve all three.
The earlier 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study followed 241 drivers over about 2 million miles and captured 82 crashes and 761 near crashes [3]. Glances away from the road that added up to more than 2 seconds at least doubled risk. Complex tasks roughly tripled it. Simple tasks needing one short glance raised risk only slightly, if at all [3].
At 55 mph, a car covers about 81 feet each second. By our calculation, 2 seconds equals about 160 feet, or roughly half a football field.
Reaching for objects
In SHRP 2, reaching for an object other than a phone carried about 9 times the crash odds of model driving, one of the highest risks found [2]. Among newly licensed teens in another study, reaching for a phone or other object raised crash and near crash risk 7 to 8 times [5].
Your eyes leave the road to find the item, your body twists and your steering hand often drifts with it. A rolling bottle can turn a quick reach into a long search. NHTSA even codes a moving object in the vehicle as its own distraction type in crash data [1].
Prevention tactic (give everything a home): Before you drive, sort items into three zones.
- Reach zone: Keep only sunglasses or a drink where you can grab them without looking, such as a cup holder or door pocket.
- Stow zone: Put bags, groceries and sports gear on the floor behind a seat, in a closed bin or in the trunk.
- Let it go rule: Anything that falls stays on the floor until you park. If it could roll under the pedals, pull over in a safe spot and remove it.
Eating and drinking
In SHRP 2, eating and nonalcoholic drinks were among the lower risk activities, compared with tasks that held the eyes away longer [2]. But for brand new teen drivers, eating tripled crash and near crash risk [5]. Experienced adults in that study showed higher risk only when dialing a phone [5]. Experience seems to cushion some tasks, so new drivers need stricter rules.
The risky moments are rarely the bites themselves. They come from unwrapping food, catching a drip or reacting to a hot spill. A dropped sandwich quickly becomes a reaching task.
Prevention tactic (prep, lid, park): Eat before you leave or at a stop. Put a spill proof lid on any drink and set it in the cup holder before you shift into gear. Unwrap and open everything before you move, and let any spill wait until you park.
Grooming
Grooming, such as fixing hair or nails, was also among the lower risk tasks in SHRP 2 [2]. The study recorded no crashes during makeup use, mostly because so few drivers did it [2]. Rare does not mean safe.
In camera footage of teen crashes, grooming showed up before about 5.5% of crashes [6]. It often means looking into a mirror instead of at the road. It can also take both hands.
Prevention tactic (finish at the curb): Build 2 extra minutes into your departure time for hair, makeup or shaving at home or in the parking lot. Keep grooming items in a bag rather than the console, so they are not tempting at red lights.
Adjusting controls, screens and climate
In SHRP 2, tuning the radio was among the lower risk tasks [2]. Adjusting heating and air conditioning raised crash odds about 2.3 times. Using other built in devices, such as touchscreen menus, raised them about 4.6 times [2]. The likely difference is eye time, since a familiar knob takes a glance while a menu takes a hunt.
Prevention tactic (settle before you roll): Set your seat, mirrors, climate, audio and route while parked. Start the defroster before you leave on cold or damp days. If a change needs a menu, wait for a stop or hand it to a passenger. See our guide to hands free and infotainment distraction for more on screens.
Passengers: helpful copilots or extra noise
Talking with an adult or teen passenger was the most common distraction in SHRP 2. It showed up in about 15% of normal driving moments and raised crash odds about 1.4 times [2]. Older crash record studies often found adult passengers lowered risk. But those studies could see only who was in the car, not who was talking [2].
An AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety analysis of 2007 to 2010 crashes found that one passenger under 21 raised a teen driver’s risk of death per mile by 44% [7]. Two young passengers doubled it. Three or more quadrupled it. A passenger aged 35 or older cut it by 62% [7].
In camera footage of teen crashes, attending to passengers was the most common behavior, seen before about 15% of crashes [6]. Groups of two or more passengers were more often loud or moving around [6].
Prevention tactic (give a passenger briefing): Before you leave, name a copilot who handles navigation, music and anything a child needs. Agree on quiet moments, such as merging, left turns, heavy traffic and bad weather. Teens should follow their state’s passenger limits. Families can set a stricter rule.
Children in the back seat
In a surprising SHRP 2 result, interacting with rear seat children was linked to lower crash odds, about 0.5 [2]. Researchers call this a protective effect, but it is easy to misread.
An Australian study of 12 families on 92 trips shows where the risk hides. Drivers were distracted for 18% of trip time. Interacting with rear seat children made up 12% of distracting activities [10]. About 76% of child related distraction involved turning to look at the kids or watching them in the rearview mirror [10].
Prevention tactic (make a kid needs plan): Prepare before anyone buckles in.
- Handle the bathroom, snacks and comfort items first.
- Give each child a spill proof drink, a snack within reach and soft, lightweight toys, as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests [11].
- Teach a family rule that dropped toys wait until the next stop.
- On long drives, plan a break about every 2 hours, as the AAP advises [11].
- If a child needs hands on help, pull over in a safe spot. Never unbuckle a child while moving.
The AAP also advises that children under 13 ride in the back seat [11].
Pets on board
Research on pets and crashes is limited and mixed. Among 691 pet owners aged 70 and older, those who always drove with a pet had about 1.9 times the crash rate [12]. A later 3 year study of 2,000 older drivers saw a similar trend, but it was not statistically significant [13]. Few studies have looked at younger drivers.
Still, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) notes that loose pets can block your view or interfere with the pedals [14]. It advises a crash tested harness, crate or carrier, with crates and carriers secured near the center of the vehicle [14].
Prevention tactic (a pet travel setup): Pick one restraint and use it on every trip, even short ones. Keep pets out of the front seat and off your lap, where the AVMA warns airbags can hurt them [14]. Walk your dog before a long drive so it settles faster. If your pet gets loose, stop somewhere safe before you deal with it. Never leave a pet alone in a parked car [14].
Strong emotions and a wandering mind
Emotions get little attention as a distraction. Yet in SHRP 2, driving while visibly angry, sad, crying or emotionally upset raised crash odds about 9.8 times [2]. That is close to the risk for reaching.
Your thoughts can also drift without strong feelings. In a study of 955 injured drivers in France, about half reported mind wandering just before their crash [15]. Drivers whose thoughts were highly distracting had about twice the odds of being responsible for the crash [15]. NHTSA’s crash coding even includes a category for being lost in thought [1].
Prevention tactic (pause, breathe, decide): Use these four steps when feelings run high.
- Pause after an argument or hard news: sit for 5 minutes and breathe slowly until your hands and voice feel steady.
- Decide whether to go. If you still feel shaky, ask someone else to drive, wait or use another ride.
- Cut short a stressful call, even on hands free. Offer to call back when you arrive.
- Reset if emotions surge during a drive: turn off the music, slow down, add space and pull over somewhere safe if needed.
If strong emotions often follow you into the car, talking with a counselor or health care provider can help.
Quick guide: common distractions beyond your phone and what to do instead
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
| Distraction | Why it raises risk | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Reaching for a bag, bottle or dropped item | Eyes leave the road and steering drifts with your body | Stow items before moving; let dropped items wait |
| Eating a meal | Unwrapping, drips and spills pull your eyes down | Eat before leaving or take a short stop |
| Hot or open drinks | A spill can trigger a sudden reach or flinch | Use a spill proof lid; set it in the holder before moving |
| Hair, makeup or shaving | Mirror use and hands off the wheel | Finish at home or in the parking lot |
| Touchscreen menus | Long, repeated glances away | Set route, audio and settings while parked |
| Climate controls | Searching for settings in bad weather | Set temperature and defrost before you go |
| Lively passenger talk | Splits attention, especially for teens | Name a copilot; agree on quiet moments |
| A child who needs help | Turning around takes your eyes off the road | Prep snacks and toys; pull over for hands on help |
| A loose pet | Can block your view or get near the pedals | Use a harness, crate or carrier in the back |
| Anger, sadness or crying | Emotion crowds out hazard spotting | Pause before driving; pull over if it surges |
| Daydreaming | Eyes stay forward, but you notice less | Name hazards out loud or in your head; take breaks |
| An insect in the car | Startle reactions and swatting | Stay steady, lower a window, stop when safe |
Frequently asked questions
What is the most dangerous driving distraction besides your phone?
In SHRP 2, the riskiest activities and states other than phone use included reading or writing, being emotionally upset, reaching for objects and long glances at something outside the car. Each carried about 7 to 10 times the crash odds of attentive driving [2].
Is it illegal to eat while driving?
Most state distracted driving laws target phones and texting [9]. Rules on other activities vary, so check with your state DMV or legislature. Even where eating is legal, eating before you go or at a stop is the safer choice.
Are kids more distracting than phones?
The research does not support a simple ranking. Children are a frequent distraction, mostly through turning around or mirror checks [10]. Yet in SHRP 2, interacting with rear seat children was linked to lower crash odds. Handheld phone tasks raised those odds [2]. Planning for kids’ needs before you leave is the best defense.
Where should my dog ride in the car?
The AVMA recommends a crash tested harness, crate or carrier, with crates secured near the center of the vehicle [14]. Keep pets out of the front seat and off your lap, away from airbags and your controls.
The bottom line
Recommendation from Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
Most distractions other than phones start before you turn the key. Settle before you roll, and give every item, child, pet and passenger a plan. Treat strong emotions as a reason to pause. If something needs your eyes or hands for more than a moment, pull over and handle it.
Related articles
- Distracted driving explained: how attention fails and how to protect it
- Hands free, voice and touchscreen distraction: how to lower your risk
- Graduated driver licensing: a parent’s roadmap from permit to full license
- Car seats and booster seats: a guide to every stage
- Aggressive driving and road rage: how to stay calm and stay safe
Sources and further reading
- 1National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Distracted Driving in 2024. DOT HS 813 790. April 2026. crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/…/813790
- 2Dingus TA, Guo F, Lee S, Antin JF, Perez M, Buchanan-King M, Hankey J. Driver crash risk factors and prevalence evaluation using naturalistic driving data. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(10):2636 to 2641. 2016. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4790996
- 3National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Impact of Driver Inattention on Near-Crash/Crash Risk: An Analysis Using the 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study Data (Klauer SG, Dingus TA, Neale VL, Sudweeks JD, Ramsey DJ). DOT HS 810 594. April 2006. nhtsa.gov/…/810594.pdf
- 4Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Distracted driving (research area overview). Updated July 2026. iihs.org/research-areas/distracted-driving
- 5Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health. Drivers engaged in other tasks about 10 percent of the time (news release on Klauer SG et al., New England Journal of Medicine). January 2, 2014. nichd.nih.gov/newsroom/releases/010214-distracted-driving
- 6AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Using Naturalistic Driving Data to Assess the Prevalence of Environmental Factors and Driver Behaviors in Teen Driver Crashes (Carney C, McGehee D, Harland K, Weiss M, Raby M). March 2015. aaafoundation.org/research/using-naturalistic-driving-data-assess-prevalence…
- 7AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Teen Driver Risk in Relation to Age and Number of Passengers (Tefft BC, Williams AF, Grabowski JG). May 2012. aaafoundation.org/research/teen-driver-risk-relation-age-number-passengers
- 8Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). GDL calculator (graduated driver licensing). Accessed October 2026. iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers/gdl-calculator
- 9Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). Distracted Driving (state laws). Last updated October 2025. ghsa.org/state-laws/issues/distracted-driving
- 10Koppel S, Charlton J, Kopinathan C, Taranto D (Monash University Accident Research Centre). Are child occupants a significant source of driving distraction? Accident Analysis & Prevention, 43:1236 to 1244. 2011. sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457511000066
- 11American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org). Travel Safety Tips. Last updated February 5, 2025. healthychildren.org/…/Travel-Safety-Tips.aspx
- 12Blunck H, Owsley C, MacLennan PA, McGwin G. Driving with pets as a risk factor for motor vehicle collisions among older drivers. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 58:70 to 74. September 2013. doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2013.04.019
- 13Huisingh C, Levitan EB, Irvin MR, Owsley C, McGwin G Jr. Driving with pets and motor vehicle collision involvement among older drivers: A prospective population-based study. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 88:169 to 174. March 2016. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26774042
- 14American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Pet safety in vehicles. October 2024. avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/pets-vehicles
- 15Galéra C, Orriols L, M’Bailara K, et al. Mind wandering and driving: responsibility case-control study. BMJ, 345:e8105. 2012. bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e8105
This article reflects the priorities of traffic safety research and distraction prevention. It is general education, not legal, medical or professional advice for any individual. Laws, data and vehicle features change, so verify current information with official sources. Reviewed October 2026.
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