The winter holiday with the highest spike in distracted driving in each state
While Thanksgiving has the highest rate of distracted driving nationwide, CMT data shows this trend can vary by state. In 31 states, Thanksgiving has the most significant increase in distracted driving. But in 15 states, the most distracted holiday is Christmas Day, and for four states, it’s New Year’s Day.
“While the average daily commute on a typical day might be 25 miles on a familiar route, traveling on the holidays would typically be much longer, and on a route not taken as often or ever,” said Daniel Lucas, senior carrier partnerships manager at Insurify. “Longer drive times mean increasing the risk of an incident.”
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Missouri, Minnesota, and Texas are among the states with the highest distracted driving levels on Thanksgiving
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Traveling on or around Thanksgiving often means many short trips to see family and back, and possibly longer journeys to unfamiliar addresses. Drivers may need to interact with screens more to navigate on roads they aren’t used to, all in a rush to be on time for dinner.
States with large rural road networks, like Missouri, Minnesota, and Texas, may also have drivers traveling longer distances to get to family gatherings. Distraction can be hazardous on a dark, two-lane road: Rural roads have a higher fatality risk per mile than urban ones, according to the IIHS.[13]
Travel times push some of that driving into nighttime hours, when crash risk is elevated. Maximum speed limits also vary between states, and elevated levels of speeding are also a problem on Thanksgiving. Of these 31 states where distracted driving is most prevalent on Thanksgiving, 23 have posted maximum speed limits of 70 mph or higher, and 10 have limits of 75 mph or higher, according to the IIHS.[14]
The risk of deer collisions can also amplify the danger of distracted driving. November is a peak month for deer-vehicle crashes in Michigan, according to the Michigan State Police.[15] Pennsylvania, Mississippi, and Virginia are also among the top 10 states for animal collisions, per a State Farm analysis.[16]
Christmas Day has the highest distracted driving levels in Hawaii, Montana, and 13 more states
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In at least 15 states, Christmas Day holds many of the same travel challenges as Thanksgiving: trips to family or friends near or far, driving on unfamiliar roads, and navigating new areas.
For example, the December burst of tourism in Hawaii can lead to increased distracted driving as out-of-state visitors attempt to navigate new roads and conditions while taking in the beautiful scenery. In December 2024, the Hawaiian Islands had 910,055 visitors, up 5.5% from the prior year, according to Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.[17]
Darkness falls even earlier around Christmas, and many states face a higher risk of icy winter weather. Most of these 15 states have a high risk index for ice storms, winter weather, or both, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.[18]
Each of the 15 states, except Hawaii, also has a maximum posted speed limit of 70 mph or higher, and six have limits of 75 mph or higher, according to the IIHS. Several states also have an alcohol-impaired driving fatality rate in the upper range, including Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, and Tennessee, according to the NHTSA.[19]
California and Florida are among the states where distracted driving levels are most elevated on New Year’s Day
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Of these three holidays, just four states — Arizona, California, Florida, and New York — have the highest levels of distracted driving on New Year’s Day, CMT data shows.
Many of the same risks still apply, but the heavy drinking and late-night driving typical of New Year’s can make the dark, early hours of the morning or late afternoon drive home even more hazardous.
Out-of-towners remain a variable. Arizona reported more than 7 million non-resident overnight visitors over October, November, and December of 2024, per the Arizona Office of Tourism.[20] Florida reported a record-breaking 33.1 million domestic and international visitors in the same period.[21] New York City welcomes around 1 million visitors annually on New Year’s Eve.[22]
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