Ohio drivers most likely to watch sports behind the wheel, survey finds

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – More Ohioans admit they would watch sports while driving than residents of any other state in America, according to a recent report. 

Hard Rock Bet, a sports betting app by the global hospitality brand Hard Rock, conducted a survey of 2,000 NFL fans across the country in August. The participants were asked where they would watch a live game if they did not go to the stadium, with “Whilst driving” being one of the options. 

The company found that Ohio ranked as the most reckless state for watching sports while driving, with 20% of respondents saying they would do so. 

“With an estimated 180K car accidents in Ohio in the last 12 months, the findings highlight that Ohio drivers are still easily distracted on the road, despite the 2023 law banning the use of handheld electronic wireless communication devices while driving,” Hard Rock Bet wrote. See NBC4's previous coverage in the video player above.

California was the second-most reckless state, with 19% of respondents admitting they would watch sports behind the wheel. The state registered over 588,000 car accidents in the past year, the second highest number behind Texas (622,000). 

The Golden State was followed by Nevada and Washington, tied at 18% of respondents who said they would watch sports while driving. North Carolina came next, at 17%. 

The number of residents surveyed in each state was based on the percentage of the U.S. population the state made up, meaning larger states had more residents surveyed. The study included 243 respondents from Ohio out of the 2,000 surveyed in total. 

Each year, an estimated 5.9 million car crashes occur in the U.S., and smartphones are involved in over 27% of them, according to the National Safety Council.