Report · Culture

Americans say eating is the biggest distraction behind the wheel

Reading

Most Americans (85%) say eating can distract a driver, more than any other behavior tested, according to an August 2025 Verasight survey.

Talking is close behind at 71%, while 45% cite music and 16% cite glasses. Just 4% say none of these can pull a driver's focus.

Topline

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Selected responses

Americans say eating is the biggest distraction behind the wheel.

In your opinion, which of the following, if any, can distract a driver while driving?

  • Eating 85.3%
  • Talking 70.7%
  • Music 45.2%
  • Glasses 15.9%
  • None of the above 3.8%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.2%

A

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Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2025-08-01 → 2025-08-06
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.2%
Module
A

Source

Citation

Verasight Quirks Omnibus Survey, fielded August 1-6, 2025, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.2%.

https://verasight-quirks-2025.tiiny.co

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.