Deaths caused by drivers on the phone were recently found to be seriously underreported. While the perils of distracted driving continue to be understated, several car accidents here are suspected to have been caused by distracted motorists who are either answering their phones or replying to text messages.

According to sources, a recent analysis of state and federal data by the National Safety Council or NSC revealed that there was strong evidence drivers involved in many accidents from 2009 to 2011 had been using a cellular device at the time.

The study also revealed that only half of the accidents from 2011 were coded in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA’s accident database as involving cellphone use. It was an improvement from previous years which saw only eight percent in 2009 and 35 percent in 2010. Yet, it is still a far cry from actual numbers that could’ve convinced lawmakers to pass new laws to prevent such distractions.

The problem seen by the NSC is the lack of effort to record the specific circumstances of each accident. Even when drivers already admitted to using their cellphones, authorities still fail to record it in the database. The NSC suspects that the number is much higher than what is being reported. Unfortunately, accurate statistics may be a definite improbability.

The NSC’s data is considered by many, including insurance companies, as the bible from which data about accidents are based. Yet, the council’s analysis found large variations among states in their reporting of distracted driving. One official told sources that unless drivers tell officers that they were on the phone, distracted driving doesn’t get reported. A subpoena is necessary in order for officers to investigate cellphone use in most states.

NHTSA acknowledged weaknesses in their data but promises that efforts are underway to strengthen collection practices by working with local authorities and lawmakers. So far 35 states have told the Governors Highway Safety Association or GHSA that they have adopted new forms to report cellphone use during accidents.