More older drivers adopt do not disturb while driving feature as younger usage drops

National Do Not Disturb While Driving (DNDWD) Day will take place on October 16 this year. Despite increased attention to the phone feature that silences notifications while driving, recent data shows many drivers are still not using it regularly.

According to research from Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), only 29% of drivers say they frequently use the DNDWD feature. Another 30% report using it infrequently. While there has been progress, with regular use increasing by 26% between 2023 and 2024 and another 9% in 2025, the percentage of drivers who never or rarely use DNDWD also rose from 21% to 30%.

Older drivers are adopting the feature at higher rates. The largest increase is among those aged 60 and above. Usage among drivers aged 45–60 increased by 45%, while those aged 60 and older saw a 67% rise. However, usage among drivers under 30 dropped significantly. In this group, adoption fell from 44% in 2024 to 29% in 2025—a reversal described by CMT as possibly temporary rather than part of a lasting trend.

"This reversal suggests that last year's surge was temporary, rather than part of a lasting trend," CMT’s report notes.

Drivers who do use DNDWD cite safety as their main motivation. Hands-free laws are also a factor; CMT notes that 31 states now have such laws for drivers. Among users, 77% believe the feature makes them safer behind the wheel and 88% think others would benefit from using it.

Awareness of DNDWD is increasing among most age groups except for those under 29, where awareness declined by three percent over the past year. For drivers aged 60 and older, awareness rose sharply—from 37% in 2024 to 60% in 2025.

However, greater awareness does not always translate into broader usage. Only about one-fifth of those newly aware of the feature said they plan to start using it—49% fewer than last year. The share of drivers who say they will not use DNDWD grew by sixty percent compared to last year. Non-users often cite concerns about missing important communications, inconvenience, or feeling the feature is unnecessary.

Do Not Disturb While Driving Day is part of an initiative by the National Distracted Driving Coalition to encourage more people to use this built-in phone function and reduce distracted driving incidents.

Distracted driving remains a significant safety issue nationwide. In 2023, there were more than three thousand deaths and over three hundred thousand injuries attributed to distracted drivers, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Cell phone use contributed to hundreds of deaths and accidents that same year, and federal data indicates that using a phone while driving triples crash risk.

Avoiding cell phone use behind the wheel can lower accident risk and may also help keep car insurance premiums down since accidents often lead to higher rates for drivers.