*New Mexico has the highest rate of fatal crashes involving distracted drivers in the U.S., according to a new analysis of federal traffic data.
An August 2026 report from Crowson Law Group examined fatal crash data from 2020 through 2024 to identify where distracted driving has claimed the most lives. New Mexico recorded 788 fatal crashes involving distracted drivers during the five-year period. Those crashes represented 259 out of every 1,000 fatal collisions, giving the state the highest rate in the study.
The report also points to the state’s relatively low penalty for distracted driving. A first offense carries a $25 fine, the lowest among the states included in the analysis.
Hawaii ranked second, with 193 distracted-driving fatalities per 1,000 fatal crashes. Kansas followed at 176, while New Jersey recorded 171 and Louisiana ranked fifth at 158.
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Louisiana, however, had the highest number of fatal crashes involving distracted drivers overall. The state recorded 943 such crashes during the five years, compared with 789 in New Jersey and 791 in Illinois.
Phone use emerged as another significant factor. Kansas recorded 67 fatal crashes linked to mobile-phone distraction, the highest figure among the 10 states ranked. Louisiana and Illinois each recorded 45, while New Jersey had 32.
New York stood out for a different reason. The state recorded 85 fatal crashes involving vehicle controls or in-vehicle objects, the highest total in that category.
A Crowson Law Group legal expert said smartphones create particular risks because drivers often believe they can safely divide their attention.
“Smartphones are the culprit of many fatal crashes, more than food or any other ‘physical’ distraction. Many drivers feel like it’s easy for them to multitask and talk over the phone or check maps or weather, or even social media. The truth is: there will be multiple drivers like that on the road at any given time, meaning the likelihood of an accident grows with each bright screen. The laws haven’t caught up with technology yet, but they’ll need to start treating it as a serious violation, not just a small inconvenience.”
The analysis used data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System and compared distracted-driving fatalities across all 50 states. It also examined state penalties and legal consequences for distracted driving.
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