Tennessee ranked #1 for distracted driving crashes

JACKSON, Tenn.–4,869. The total number of distracted driver traffic crashes in Madison County from 2008 through 2018.

This number comes from research provided by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security along with the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

Sergeant Richard King of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office said the high numbers are no surprise to him.

“Over the years we’ve had a rise in the number of accidents caused by distracted driving, it has quickly become the number one cause in all fatal accidents across the united states,” said Sgt. King.

He said most of these distractions come from texting, GPS, and talking on the phone.

Sergeant King also said distracted drivers are very much like driving under the influence.

“The indicators for distracted driving are similar to that of DUI, swerving, in and out of lanes, speed variations,” said Sgt. King.

Sgt. King said in order for Tennesseans to get off that list, to do one simple thing; put the phones down.

“Go hands free if you can, but don’t touch your phone and don’t text,” said Sgt. King.

He said the high numbers of distracted driving cases are prompting the sheriff’s department to become more proactive.

“In the next few months were going to do a lot more campaigns to address that situation,” said Sgt. King.