This publication contains results from the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS), a survey that provides probability-based observed data on driver electronic device use in the United States. The survey includes three types of driver electronic device use while driving: (1) holding phones to their ears; (2) speaking with visible headsets on; and, (3) visibly manipulating handheld devices. Results are based on a total of 415,953 passenger vehicles driven by people using handheld cell phones at a typical daylight moment in 2017. In 2016, 1,600 sites were observed and 1,615 sites were observed in 2017 for a period of 21 days and 12 days, respectively.
Results indicate that there was a 0.4% decrease of drivers holding cell phones to their ears while driving from 2016 to 2017. There was also a decrease in the amount of drivers speaking with visible headsets while driving, from 0.5% in 2016 to 0.4% in 2017.
Reference
National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2019, January). Driver electronic device use in 2017 (Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. Report No. DOT HS 812 665). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
