Fast Drivers Have Another Bad Habit
The IIHS published a study in April, 2026 that shows speeding drivers aren’t just being negligent by going too fast. It turns out that the faster they’re going, the more likely they are to use their phones while driving. It’s a combination that can add even more danger to a Dallas area car wreck, and quickly turn an avoidable wreck into a lethal one.
The Car Crash Captain is looking at the study, and we’ll explore some ways you can protect yourself if you’re already a safe driver.
The Faster They Go, the More They Scroll
Have you ever been minding your business, cruising along the freeway going the speed limit, and some guy blows past you? Most of us have been passed, but have you looked at the passer and saw they’re staring at their phone? Despite the studies, the knowledge, and the potential tickets, people can’t stay off those things.
But this new study shows that people actually pay less attention the faster they go.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety looked at the telematics data of nearly 600,000 trips back in 2024, and found that speeders are scrollers. And the faster they’re going, the more they’re scrolling.
- On limited-access roads (like freeways) phone use increased 12% for every 5 mph over the limit the speedster was going.
- On primary or collector roads, that usage increased 3% for every 5 mph.
- On both of those roads, the higher the posted speed limit, the greater the phone usage increase.
That means when you’re out and about, no matter if you’re on the highway, the sideway, or the byway, the faster another driver is going the more likely they’ll be speeding and distracted.
Speed and Distraction Create a Physics Nightmare
It’s not very smart to drive distracted. And, generally speaking, it’s not very smart to speed either. Which means if you want to do both, you’re not just acting stupid + stupid; you’re actually acting stupid x stupid, or stupid2.
That’s because the NHTSA has done some studies on what actually happens when your attention leaves the road.
- Handheld phone use makes you 3.6 times more likely to wreck.
- Texting increases your odds of crashing by 6.1 times.
- Dialing the phone, that’ll get you 12.2 more likely to crash.
- Reaching for the phone in the car is 4.8 times more likely.
And you’ve probably seen the stats on how far you travel when your eyes leave the road. In five seconds of distraction, you’ll travel:
- 403 feet at 55 mph
- 513 feet at 70 mph
- 587 feet at 80 mph
So, for those who are on the highway, flying along at 80 mph in a 70-mph zone, they’re much more likely to be staring at their phone ever increasing the distance they’re traveling because they’re simultaneously reducing the amount of time they have available to react and going farther because they’re going faster.
A distracted driver doesn’t see stopped traffic or obstacles in the road. A speeding driver has less time to react. The speeding and distracted driver opts for both problems at the same time.
“But I Wasn’t On my Phone!”
When someone is driving distracted, and then they wreck, they’re not going to jump out of the car and say, “Oopsie! My bad, I was scrolling Instagram!” They’re actually going to claim, “No, I wasn’t on my phone!”
Well, modern technology is going to disagree.
Your phone records way more than you think. And another study by the IIHS found that phone usage was left out of the vast majority of police reports. If you’re driving along, and some guy smashes into the back of you because he couldn’t react fast enough, the official police report might say that he was speeding. But it leaves out that he was speeding and scrolling.
But all of that data is quietly being stored in the telematics of the phone. And often, insurance companies have apps that reward good drivers. To do so, they have to record everything; time, speed, GPS location, braking, and phone usage.
Herbert Law Group is Here to Help Your Case
TxDOT reports that in 2025 distracted driving contributed to over 86,000 crashes here in Texas. Those crashes seriously injured over 2,400 and killed almost 300 people. And this newest research shows that speeding drivers are more likely to mess with their phones, and if you’re hit by one, the police report may never even mention the phone use at all.
You’re a safe driver. But you can still be injured by someone else because they’re not a safe driver.
That’s why you need Herbert Law Group to ensure you receive justice.
Call our offices in Richardson, Texas, and we’ll have a free conversation to learn what happened, how you were injured, and how we can help you receive the compensation you need to fully help you heal. Simply call 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll get in touch with you soon.