Youth perspectives on distracted driving and hands-free laws

Motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death among youth in the United States, and distracted driving—particularly related to cell phone use—is a key contributing factor. Hands-free laws have been enacted in many states to reduce this risk by limiting handheld phone use while driving. However, little is known about how youth perceive these laws, their level of awareness, or whether they believe such policies are effective in changing behavior. This study explores young people’s knowledge and perspectives on these laws and identifies potential strategies from the youth perspective to prevent distracted driving. This study used the MyVoice nationwide text message poll of youth aged 14–24 years, recruited through community outreach and social media advertising, to reflect national benchmarks. In March 2024, youth were sent five open-ended questions on distracted driving, including cell phone use, state laws, and prevention strategies. Responses underwent qualitative content analysis with an iteratively developed codebook; two researchers independently coded all data and resolved discrepancies through discussion. The coding team included survey experts, topical experts, and youth advisors. Demographics were summarized with descriptive statistics. A total of 756 youth were invited to participate; 577 (RR = 76.3%) responded to at least one question. Respondents were 50.4% female, 52.2% non-Hispanic White, and 67.8% lived in a state with a hands-free law. Among respondents, 74.6% reported phones as a significant distraction, and 63.9% viewed phone use while driving as dangerous. While 80.3% of respondents were aware of their state’s distracted driving laws, 62.7% perceived hands-free laws as only somewhat or not effective. As one response noted, hands-free laws “makes it more risky as they will try to not get caught and still do the texting.” Youth suggested improved education (25.1%), enhanced phone settings (20.8%), and advanced car technology (19.6%) as more effective approaches. Youth recognize the dangers of distracted driving but continue to engage in phone use while driving, suggesting that laws alone are insufficient to change youth driving behaviors. Youth-centered strategies, including improved education, technological innovation, and engagement with existing smartphone tools, may more effectively reduce distracted driving and improve safety.