distracted driving

American  

noun

1. driving a vehicle while engaging in an activity that has the potential to distract the driver from the task of driving.

   Bans on cell phone use in cars will help to reduce the dangers of distracted driving.

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Other Word Forms

• distracted driver noun

Etymology

Origin of distracted driving

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

In 2021, more than 3,500 people in the United States were killed in crashes involving distracted driving, and more than 360,000 were injured, the agency said.

From New York Times • Feb. 6, 2024

Strayer's past research into multitasking and distracted driving associated with cellphone use has drawn national attention.

From Science Daily • Jan. 29, 2024

Yes, really: The federal bible of traffic safety tactics, known as Countermeasures That Work, gives the lowest possible rating to education campaigns about distracted driving.

From Slate • Jan. 23, 2024

While Washington legislators have made laws around distracted driving and maliciously sending explicit images on cellphones, Sen. Lisa Wellman, D-Mercer Island, said the matter of school cellphone policies “will strongly be a local issue.”

From Seattle Times • Dec. 26, 2023

At the end of the distracted driving conference, Secretary LaHood announced that President Obama had signed an order forbidding federal employees from texting while driving during work hours.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel