Distracted driving in Wilmington: How big of a problem is it?

Molly Wilhelm, Wilmington StarNews
·3 min read
How significant is the problem of texting while driving in Wilmington? Wilmington police data and insights from Public Information Officer Lt. Greg Willett shed light on the issue locally.
How significant is the problem of texting while driving in Wilmington? Wilmington police data and insights from Public Information Officer Lt. Greg Willett shed light on the issue locally.

Approximately 3,000 people nationwide die each year from a crash involving a distracted driver, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Distracted driving encompasses any activity that diverts a driver's attention, but in today's era, cellphones stand out as a primary contributor to this dangerous behavior.

With Wilmington police reporting nine fatal vehicle collisions in 2024 alone, are Wilmington drivers succumbing to distraction from their phones?

What law prevents use of mobile phones while driving?

General Statute 20-137.4A prohibits drivers from using their cellphones while driving in North Carolina.

This statute makes it unlawful for drivers to "manually enter multiple letters or text in the device as a means of communicating with another person" or "read any electronic mail or text message transmitted to the device or stored within the device."

Exceptions to this law include:

  • Drivers lawfully parked or stopped

  • Law enforcement, fire department members, or EMS performing official duties

  • Factory-installed or after-market GPS or wireless communication devices used as part of a digital dispatch system

  • Voice operated technology

What is the penalty for distracted driving?

Drivers who violate the statute can face a fine of $100 and the costs of court.

The statute specifies that driver's license points and insurance surcharges should not arise as a result of an infraction violation. Violation of the statute by drivers operating a school bus constitutes a class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by a minimum fine of $100.

While failure to abide by the statute does not automatically make the driver at fault in legal actions involving vehicle operation, distracted driving can affect the outcomes of vehicle collision cases -- especially those involving serious injury or death.

"It can certainly be used as...an aggravating factor in the investigation...(and can) ultimately play into any kind of sentencing that may come as a result of a conviction," said Lt. Greg Willett, public information officer with the Wilmington Police Department.

What are the rates of distracted driving in Wilmington?

The number of texting while driving and distracted mobile phone use citations issued by the Wilmington Police Department since 2019.
The number of texting while driving and distracted mobile phone use citations issued by the Wilmington Police Department since 2019.

The data seems to reveal a promising trend: Citations for texting while driving, a major form of distraction, have been on a relative decline in the region within the past five years.

The Wilmington Police Department provided the following data per a public records request, indicating the number of citations issued for driving while texting/distracted mobile phone use in a given year:

  • 2019 - 44 tickets

  • 2020 - 18 tickets

  • 2021 - 9 tickets

  • 2022 - 10 tickets

  • 2023 - 10 tickets

  • 2024 - 6 tickets

However, Willett said this observed decrease could stem from a combination of factors.

"Maybe there is a decrease in drivers (texting while driving) and it could be anything as simple as...different enforcement focuses," Willett said, adding enforcement of such citations can be challenging since they often require direct observation by an officer. "People will see the police car and stop texting."

Because of these challenges, the data might not accurately reflect the true frequency of the issue, Willett said.

"I honestly think...that the data probably scratches the surface," Willett said. "I think that there are obviously a lot more people doing it than are getting caught."

How does distracted driving contribute to vehicle collisions and fatalities?

Many of the fatal collisions in Wilmington involve impairment, Willett said, noting that distracted driving is another major contributor.

"I would say the next thing after impairment in terms of fatal collisions would be distracted driving," Willett said, adding that this not only includes the use of mobile phones, but any activity that causes drivers to take their eyes off the road. "It absolutely has contributed to some fatal accidents."

Even in instances where distracted driving doesn't result in a collision, it frequently comes close, Willett said.

"Speaking from...my professional and personal experience, more often than not, you'll see (distracted driving) and it won't necessarily result in a collision...but it will result in a near collision," Willett said.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Penalties and frequency of distracted driving in Wilmington, NC