NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis – Distracted Driving 2009, September 2010: “In 2009, there were 30,797 fatal crashes in the United States, which involved 45,230 drivers. In those crashes, 33,808 people were killed. Distraction was reported for 11 percent (5,084) of the drivers involved in fatal crashes. In these crashes reported to have involved some form of distraction, 5,474 fatalities (16% of overall fatalities) occurred. Table 1 provides information about fatal crashes with reported distraction
from 2005 through 2009. The proportion of fatalities reportedly associated with driver distraction increased from 10 percent in 2005 to 16 percent in 2009. During that time, fatal crashes with reported driver distraction also increased from 10 percent to 16 percent.”