Don’t find your holiday shopping deals behind the wheel. Distracted driving is 12% higher on Christmas

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Published on December 17, 2024 | 4 min read

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The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration and distractions. Whether texting for directions, managing chaotic kids in the back seat or navigating snowy roads while sipping their daily dose of caffeine, drivers are less attentive to the road during the holidays. Christmas ranks as the holiday with the most distracted drivers. Distracted driving on Christmas caused an average of 1,660 car crashes per year from 2020 to 2023. Staying focused behind the wheel is the best gift you can give yourself — and your car insurance rate — this holiday season.

Christmas is the most dangerous day for distracted driving

For many Americans, Halloween and Thanksgiving are just warm-ups for the stars of the show — winter holidays. All the anticipation and anxiety surrounding the holiday season may be reflected in the rise of distracted driving the two weeks before and after Christmas.

According to The State of US Road Risk in 2024 analysis by Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), distracted driving fluctuates throughout the year. However, there is a holiday distraction surge on almost every holiday, with a 12.4 percent spike above December and January averages on Christmas day.

Using screen interaction to measure shifts in distraction levels, CMT determined that drivers in 2023 spent an average of 126 seconds per hour interacting with their phones in some way while driving. ‘Interactions’ could be texting, emailing, using apps, etc. Looking at the winter holiday season from 2020-2023, screen interactions jumped to an average of 136 seconds (2 minutes and 14 seconds) per hour in the two weeks before and after Christmas and peaked at an average of 151 seconds (2 minutes and 31 seconds) per hour on Christmas day.

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Distracted driving can cost you dollars

Along with distracted driving, drunk driving rates also increase from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. Impaired drivers are more likely to speed and participate in distracted driving, which increases the likelihood of being involved in an accident.

On top of the legal implications, DUIs, accidents and speeding tickets can negatively impact personal finances through state fines and higher car insurance premiums. The average cost of car insurance for a driver with a clean driving record is $2,458 per year for full coverage. Moving violations and at-fault accidents typically increase these rates for at least three years.

If you experience a rate increase due to a moving violation or accident, ask your insurance agent about potential auto insurance discounts to reduce your premium or consider shopping around to compare rates from other providers.

Driving record	Avg. full coverage car insurance	Increase compared to national average
Clean driving record	$2,458	0%
Speeding ticket	$2,975	21%
DUI	$3,508	43%
At-fault accident	$4,713	92%
		Rates as of November 2024

Why are drivers more distracted on holidays?

Christmas isn’t the only time the holiday distraction surge appears. Holiday driving statistics show an average three percent uptick in screen interaction for almost every major U.S. holiday and cultural event. CMT data reveals that over the past four years, increased distracted driving over the holidays accounts for over 11,800 crashes and $468 million in economic damages.

Holiday traffic and travel

Memorial Day, Labor Day, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas are the biggest holidays for family road trips. AAA predicts that 119.3 million people will travel 50 or more miles away from home between December 21st and January 1st this holiday season. Of these travelers, 107 million will do so by car.

Since Christmas is on a Wednesday, the busiest days to be on the road will likely be the weekends before and after Christmas. The mental strain of long road trips and bumper-to-bumper traffic can make drivers complacent and less attentive to their surroundings.

Stress

Let’s be honest, 2024 has been a tough year for many. With a seemingly endless election season and financial stressors weighing us down, a long road trip to visit your in-laws would put anyone on edge.

When driving in unfamiliar locations, drivers tend to take their eyes off the road to read directions and look for landmarks. Distracted driving and aggression lead to speeding, creating what AAA terms “the deadly trio.”

Also, holiday travel usually involves more passengers than usual, including family pets. The noise level from more people and animals can create distractions and add even more stress.

During my dog's first car ride, as soon as we left the house, he immediately started to try and climb up to the front seat. I had to keep elbowing him to keep him back — not safe! I turned around and immediately went on Amazon to order a pet barrier. — Natasha Cornelius, CLU, Bankrate insurance editor (Kovu, her dog, pictured)

Fatigue

It’s more than long road trips that make drivers tired. Big meals, alcohol, night driving and more can lead to drowsy driving. Aside from possibly falling asleep at the wheel, drowsy drivers are more prone to let their minds wander and have slower reaction times.

Excitement

Another thing most holidays have in common is the feeling of excitement. Even holidays like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day that don’t have the traditional school breaks or three-day weekends have a vacation feel. Both of these holidays have the highest rate of distracted driving, behind New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

As many parents know, any disruption in the daily routine of school-aged children can make them more boisterous than usual. Add in the anticipation of presents, no homework, sugary treats and long hours in a confined space, and even the most angelic child can test your focus while driving.

How can we be safer drivers this holiday season?

One way to stay focused while driving is by activating your phone’s “do not disturb while driving” (DNDWD) feature. This feature is accessible to both Apple and Android users. While CMT data shows that 62 percent of drivers know about this feature, only 20 percent frequently use it. Younger drivers between 18 and 29 are the most frequent users of this feature, with 29 percent claiming they always or often use it.

The C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital suggests using the S-M-A-R-T method to prevent distracted driving year-round.

Stay focused on driving.
Make preparations before you begin driving.
Avoid all activities that take your eyes off the road.
Rely on passengers to help you navigate and help control in-car distractions.
Text or talk later, not while you are driving.

Rob Watts, a senior editor for Bankrate, says that seeing how distracted others are on the road helps remind him of the importance of attentive driving. “More than once I have had near-collisions when someone is drifting into my lane,” says Watts. “On multiple occasions, I have honked and can see the driver quickly look up and then panic-correct themselves into their lane.”

I think having my son in the car has definitely made me go to more lengths to hyperfocus on the road. I try to touch the audio controls as little as possible, and if I need to use Google Maps, I will park somewhere briefly and then set it up rather than trying to use the touchscreen. — Rob Watts, Bankrate senior editor