Updated March 6, 2019

Tennessee tops the list for cellphone distracted driving deaths nationwide. You see distracted drivers almost every time you’re on the road.

To add to that, a new study shows Tennessee roads are the most deadly because of drivers distracted by cellphones.

From 2015-2017 in Tennessee there were 166 fatalities caused by drivers distracted by their cellphones, that’s five times greater than the national average, and 300% greater than neighboring states; Kentucky and North Carolina.

Tennessee laws could have something to do with it.

The states with full bans on handheld use of cellphones had 45% lower rates than the states with partial bans or no bans at all.

Right now in Tennessee it is illegal to text and drive, and to talk on a hand-held mobile phone while in a marked school zone. A proposed bill hopes to expand the laws to make it an offense to talk on a hand-held mobile phone on any road. If passed this bill will take effect on January 1, 2020.