According to the IIHS, drivers are more likely to use their phones while speeding.

According to the IIHS, drivers are more likely to use their phones while speeding.

      IIHS

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      Speeding and using phones while driving are both commonplace and perilous. Despite being aware of the rules and potential penalties, drivers are likely to engage in both activities, often simultaneously, as indicated by a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

      “Previously, safety experts thought that drivers primarily used their cell phones at lower speeds,” said IIHS president David Harkey in a press release unveiling the study. “However, data from safe-driving apps provided by insurance companies suggests that, during free-flowing traffic, the contrary is true.”

      These insurance apps, which offer savings to drivers who participate and demonstrate what insurers consider safe behavior, have provided “more detailed information about driver actions” than was available before, according to the IIHS, which has backing from the insurance sector. The apps leverage a phone’s sensors and GPS to record speed, instances of hard acceleration and braking, as well as track location and time. Phone use was determined by “significant rotation” detected by the phone’s gyroscope while the screen was active, whereas speeding was assessed by comparing GPS data with a speed-limit database.

      Getty Images

      Researchers examined nearly 600,000 trips taken between July and October 2024 in all U.S. states with the exception of Alaska, California, Hawaii, and New York. Only trips lasting a minimum of 18 minutes, with at least two minutes spent on Interstate highways, were considered. Since the focus was on behavior during free-flowing traffic, times spent driving 5 mph or more below the posted limit were excluded.

      Using this dataset and methodology, researchers discovered that phone use increased by 12% for every 5 mph drivers exceeded the speed limit on limited-access highways. For other road types, phone use increased by a smaller margin of 3% for every 5 mph over the limit. This discrepancy is likely attributed to the need for drivers to react more frequently to traffic signals, intersections, and stop signs on those roads, the IIHS suggested.

      The study indicated that drivers were also more likely to be on their phones on routes with higher speed limits. On limited-access highways with a 70 mph limit, researchers observed a 9% greater rise in phone use for every 5 mph above the speed limit compared to similar roads with a 55 mph limit. On other road types, the rise in phone use was 3% higher (again, per 5 mph over the limit) for roads with speed limits of 45-50 mph than for those with limits between 25 and 30 mph, and 7% higher for roads with a 55 mph limit.

      Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images

      According to the IIHS, several factors may contribute to these trends. Drivers who take risks may not differentiate when engaging in such behaviors. Stress, which has been associated with both heightened phone use and speeding in other studies, might also play a role. Furthermore, drivers might view lighter traffic and less complex conditions (such as no pedestrians or stoplights) on higher-speed, limited-access highways as a chance to use their phones. It's important to note that despite many newer cars being equipped with smartphone integration systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, drivers may not be using these features.

      Regarding solutions to this issue, the IIHS advises combining anti-speeding messages with warnings about distracted driving to tackle the relationship between the two behaviors. While speed cameras can be a useful (albeit controversial) measure against speeding, it's even more challenging to enforce anti-phone regulations on highways, where it is harder for police to observe drivers and detect phone use. Additionally, the very apps provided by the insurance industry to incentivize safer driving through lower premiums do not appear to be effective based on the dataset used for this study.

According to the IIHS, drivers are more likely to use their phones while speeding. According to the IIHS, drivers are more likely to use their phones while speeding. According to the IIHS, drivers are more likely to use their phones while speeding.

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According to the IIHS, drivers are more likely to use their phones while speeding.

This relies on information from insurance company applications designed to promote safe driving, demonstrating their actual effectiveness.