Mother’s Day is one of the busiest Sundays of the year, with millions of families on the go to celebrate mom. More than 3 out of 4 Americans plan to dine out, making it one of the top restaurant days of the year. For those who aren’t at the table with Mom, there’s a good chance they’re on the phone instead.  Verizon reports 394 million calls are made on Mother’s Day. 

With more drivers on the road and more reasons to pick up the phone, road risk rises alongside the celebrations. Mother’s Day averages 402 fatal crashes, ranking it among the deadliest holidays of the year for traffic fatalities — a sobering reminder that the best gift you can give mom is driving safely. 

CMT analyzed how increased travel and phone activity on Mother’s Day impacts distracted driving. We examined phone screen interaction and handheld call rates from 2023 through 2025, comparing them to surrounding Sundays. Both forms of distraction rise significantly, especially during brunch hours.

CMT defines screen interaction as tapping on a phone while driving above 9 mph, and handheld call rate as the percentage of trips that include a handheld call.

Distraction rises 10% during morning brunch hours

Phone screen interaction increases 4.5% overall on Mother’s Day, rising from 1 minute and 44 seconds per hour to 1 minute and 49 seconds. The increase starts early — between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., distraction is 13.5% higher than typical Sunday levels. 

With over half of Mother’s Day reservations happening at brunch, roads become busier and drivers become more distracted. According to OpenTable, Mother’s Day restaurant volume peaks between 10:00 a.m. and noon. During this window, distraction increases by 10%, from 1 minute and 42 seconds on typical Sundays to 1 minute and 52 seconds on Mother’s Day. CMT data shows traffic is also up by 10% compared to similar Sundays. 

Distraction remains 4.6% above average between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., before tapering off later in the day.

Handheld calls are up 14% through the early afternoon

Handheld phone calls surge on Mother’s Day. This form of distraction is one of the riskiest — drivers who frequently make them are 135% more likely to be involved in a crash. Handheld calls are also associated with higher crash speeds than other types of distraction.

On Mother’s Day, the share of trips with a handheld call increases by 6%. The spike is most pronounced between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., when rates are 14% higher than on a typical Sunday. On an average Sunday morning, 1.87% of trips include a handheld call; on Mother’s Day, that rises to 2.13%.

The increase peaks at 9:00 a.m., when handheld call rates are 19% above average. From 10:00 a.m. to noon, drivers are making 13% more handheld calls, adding to an already high-traffic, high-distraction period. From 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., rates remain 6% above average before leveling off in the evening.

Keep every mom safe on the road

More families are on the road Mother's Day morning, and more drivers are distracted. Get there safely, and make it a day worth remembering.