LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A recent study showed Arkansas in the top three states with the least distracted drivers.

A study by the insurance site QuoteWizard showed that only Nevada and Mississippi had fewer distracted drivers than Arkansas. The study classified distracted driving as taking your eyes, hands or mind off driving, usually to deal with a cell phone. 

The Natural State showed that 3% of its deadly crashes between 2017 to 2021 were due to distracted drivers. Nationally 8% of deadly crashes, 177,409 in total for the same period, were due to distracted drivers.

The study used National Highway Traffic Safety Administration deadly accident data in making its calculations.

The impact of distracted driving on insurance rates is especially telling. While a speeding ticket raises a driver’s rate by 26%, a texting-while-driving ticket raises rates for the same driver by 27%.

The study said that like most states, Arkansas has a ban on texting while driving but does not have a ban on using a handheld device while behind the wheel.

The national leader in distracted driving was New Mexico, the first on the list with 37% of its fatal crashes due to distracted drivers.