Distracted driving is accelerating as Gen Z takes the wheel

Americans just can’t help themselves from checking their phones, texting, or playing with their in-car entertainment systems, according to a new study from insurance provider LexisNexis.

The most distracted drivers tend to be members of Gen Z, according to the study. Distracted driving violations by Gen Z drivers on the road increased 24% compared to 2022, and 66% compared to 2019. Likewise, millennials were caught driving distracted 9% more often than in 2022.

Overall, drivers of all ages were ticketed 10% more last year than they were in 2022.

Although texting is the most commonly acknowledged reason behind distracted driving, in-vehicle technology can also be distracting. Nationwide’s head of personal lines Casey Kempton on Wednesday told Insurance Business that features like GPS, music apps, and others can be major distractions.

More than 3,300 people were killed and an estimated 289,310 people were injured in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2022, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Lexis Nexis reports that major and minor speeding violations increased 10% and 16%, respectively. Driving under the influence (DUI) violations also increased year-over-year.

Claim severity — or how much a claim costs — is on the rise, with Lexis Nexis pointing to increased legal costs. Bodily injury claims have risen by 20%, while the severity of material damage claims have grown by almost 50%. More than a quarter of collision claims in 2023 were counted as total losses, according to Lexis Nexis.

And electric vehicles are part of the cause. Although overall EV sales growth has slowed in recent months, more electric cars are on the roads than ever. As of 2023, there were 3.9 million insured EVs on U.S. roads, and another 270,000 new electric cars were purchased over the first three months of 2024.

For EVs, claim frequency and severity were 17% and 34% higher, respectively, than internal combustion engine vehicles last year. Rental car giant Hertz has said it plans to sell off tens of thousands of electric cars this year, in part because of higher repair costs.