States with the Most & Least Distracted Drivers

New Mexico ranks as the state with the most distracted drivers, while Arkansas is the state with the least distracted drivers, according to a study by Whistleout.

New Mexico ranked the highest with drivers spending over 8% of their driving time on their smartphones despite state laws prohibiting use of handheld devices while driving, the study found. 

Whistleout reviewed NHTSA distracted driving fatalities data and Zendrive's 2018 and 2019 Distracted Driving Studies to determine the results.

Other states with the highest percentages of distracted driving were followed by Alabama, Montana, Washington, and Kentucky.

Meanwhile, just behind Arkansas in the list of states with the least distracted drivers are New York, Alaska, Pennsylvania, and Indiana .

The information obtained from both NHTSA and Zendrive was the most recent data available, and was based on fatalities data, as well as data concerning the percentage of time drivers were observed using their phones while driving, the study said.