Regional texting and driving behaviors
Texting and driving is illegal in nearly every U.S. state, and hands-free driving laws continue to expand. But real-world behavior tells a different story.
Even in regions where state laws ban handheld phone use, Gen Z drivers frequently find ways to bend the rules. They exploit legal gray areas or rely on hands-free technology in ways that still compromise safety.
Midwest: Most cautious overall
The Midwest stood out as the safest region. This region had some of the lowest rates of risky behaviors, and 37.5% of poll respondents said they wait until fully parked before responding to texts — the highest share nationwide, according to Insurify data.
Only 18% of Gen Z drivers in the Midwest reported glancing at texts while driving, with the Northeast region only slightly lower at 16%. The Midwest also had the second lowest rate of responding to texts based on urgency (17%), with the West coming in at 14%.
All regions: Texting at red lights is common
Even when the law clearly prohibits certain types of phone use, like texting while stopped at a red light, many drivers disregard it. Insurify’s data reveals that nearly 20% of Gen Z drivers in every region admit to reading or responding to texts at stoplights, showing that this behavior is common nationwide despite laws against the practice.
This consistency across regions highlights that legislation alone may not be enough to curb the behavior. While some states, like South Carolina (44%) and North Carolina (38%), show particularly high levels, the broader trend reveals that drivers everywhere interpret stoplights as “safe” opportunities to check messages.
Regions most likely to use Bluetooth: Northeast and South
Gen Z drivers in the Northeast (25.6%) and South (24.6%) were the most likely to have messages read aloud and respond via Bluetooth or voice-to-text. While hands-free tools are often seen as safer, they can normalize the urge to interact with messages and may still create cognitive distractions.
Hands-free laws may inadvertently contribute to this issue. Many states permit drivers to use phone mounts or Bluetooth devices, assuming that preventing drivers from touching their phones minimizes risk. But Insurify’s data shows otherwise: Instead of hands-free tools erasing distraction, they often coexist with it.
In Kentucky and New Jersey, where Bluetooth use is especially high (44% and 40%, respectively, per Insurify data), Gen Z drivers still frequently engage in risky behaviors. About 12% of drivers in both states admit to glancing at texts while driving, and more than 11% of Kentucky drivers even respond based on urgency, despite using hands-free tools.
Rural drivers say they practice safer driving behaviors
Rural drivers tend to model safer behaviors than their urban and suburban counterparts. Thirty-seven percent of rural Gen Z drivers wait until they’ve fully parked their cars before checking or responding to texts — the highest among location types.
In contrast, only 32% of suburban drivers and 30% of urban drivers exercise the same caution, Insurify’s survey found.
The pattern extends to red-light behavior, too. Just 12% of rural drivers report reading or replying to texts while stopped at lights, compared to 16% of urban and 21% of suburban drivers, according to Insurify’s survey. This may suggest that location and driving context may shape how people perceive and react to distraction risks.
Rural drivers often travel on longer stretches of road with less congestion, where pulling over or waiting until parked may feel more feasible. By contrast, suburban and urban drivers face heavier traffic, shorter trips, and frequent stops, which can create more “opportunities” to check a phone at red lights or while moving slowly. These environmental pressures help explain why city and suburban drivers report higher rates of risky texting behaviors, even when the laws are the same.
The prevalence of teen-specific phone bans shows that states do recognize the dangers of in-vehicle tech, including hands-free tools. Thirty-six states and Washington, D.C., have banned all cell phone use for teen drivers, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA).
North Carolina’s Department of Transportation reports that this state goes a step further. It has banned Bluetooth and related technologies for drivers younger than 18, recognizing that these tools still present cognitive distractions. If such technologies are considered too risky for teens, it raises important questions about their use among more experienced drivers, who may be just as vulnerable to complacency behind the wheel.
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