April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month
As we mark National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April, it's important to reflect on the importance of staying focused when behind the wheel. Taking your eyes off the road, even for a few seconds, can lead to devastating consequences.
Between 2020 and 2024, more than 17,000 car accidents in Massachusetts were caused by distracted drivers, according to the Massachusetts IMPACT crash data portal. MSN.com reported that 5,100 of those crashes led to injuries, and 26 were fatal.
Distracted driving isn’t just careless. It’s often deadly. Any activity that takes your eyes off the road is a potential distraction and increases your risk of a crash, according to AAA Northeast.
On a national level, the statistics are just as alarming. In 2022, distracted driving was responsible for 3,308 deaths and 289,310 injuries, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These crashes accounted for 8 percent of all fatal traffic accidents that year.
What counts as distracted driving?
While texting is the most common and widely recognized form of distracted driving, there are many other behaviors that can put drivers, passengers, and others at risk. Common types of distractions include:
- Talking on a cellphone or using a hands-free device
- Eating or drinking while driving
- Adjusting the radio, GPS, or climate controls
- Talking to passengers or attending to children or pets
- Looking at something outside the vehicle (rubbernecking)
- Grooming, such as applying makeup or shaving
- Daydreaming or being lost in thought
- Reaching for objects inside the car
Any of these activities can reduce your ability to react quickly. That split-second delay can have life-altering consequences.
Many drivers take chances with safety
Despite being aware of the risks, many drivers still engage in distracted behaviors. A recent AAA Northeast survey found:
- 37 percent admitted to reading a text or email while driving in the past 30 days
- 27 percent said they typed or sent a message
- 36 percent talked on a handheld phone while driving
This disconnect between what drivers know and how they behave contributes to thousands of preventable crashes every year.
Massachusetts distracted driving laws
In Massachusetts, distracted driving is more than dangerous—it’s illegal. The state’s hands-free driving law, which went into effect in February 2020, prohibits drivers from holding a phone or any electronic device while operating a vehicle. This law was designed to cut down on accidents caused by texting, browsing, or any form of manual phone use behind the wheel.
Here’s what the law says:
- No holding or touching phones while driving, including at red lights or in traffic.
- Voice-to-text and hands-free phone use (like Bluetooth or dashboard mounts) is allowed, but only if it doesn’t require holding the device.
- Drivers under 18 are banned from using any mobile device at all while driving, even in hands-free mode.
- First-time violators can face a $100 fine, mandatory safety training, and escalating penalties for repeat offenses.
Law enforcement officers across Massachusetts continue to enforce these rules with regular patrols and targeted campaigns, especially during Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Still, far too many crashes involve drivers who choose to ignore the law—putting everyone on the road at risk.
If you’ve been hit by a distracted driver in Massachusetts, knowing these laws can help your case. Proving a violation of the hands-free law can be a key factor in showing the other driver’s negligence. A Massachusetts distracted driving accident lawyer from the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone can help you gather the evidence, build a strong claim, and fight to hold the at-fault driver accountable for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
If you've been injured in a crash, contact a distracted driving accident lawyer today
We’ve seen firsthand the pain and disruption distracted driving can cause. Don’t let the negligent actions of someone else define your future.
Contact the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone today for a free consultation. We’re ready to fight for justice. No one should suffer due to someone else’s reckless choices. Tell them you mean business!
"After my car accident, I was in pain, stressed, and unsure of what to do next. I had multiple hospital visits and was trying to balance recovery with everything else life throws at you after something like that. Reaching out to the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone was the best move I could’ve made." — Victor N., ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐