NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A new study by ValuePenguin examined data from the national highway traffic administration from 2015 to 2017. Between that time, it states more than 1,400 fatalities were attributed to car crashes involving drivers that were distracted by their cellphones. It shows Tennessee having the highest rate of distracted driving fatalities.
AAA representative Megan Cooper says the company did their own traffic safety study.In it, the study reveals 88 percent of drivers believe distracted driving is happening more often.
"Our job when driving is to get to point a and point b safely, so anything you're doing as a driver that takes away from that really puts you at risk and people in your car are at risk," said Megan Cooper, "Also puts the people on the road in an unnecessary risk."
Cooper adds that in one of their studies they found collectively as Americans, we are spending 70 billion hours behind the wheel.
"Nashville specifically we have a lot of people moving here and moving through here," said Cooper. "With an increase in traffic, more people are at risk on the roadway."
Currently, Tennessee only has a handheld ban on using cellphones in school zones while lights are flashing. There is a bill moving through the legislature right now that would ban drivers from using handheld devices on any Tennessee roads and highways.
