Digital solutions reduce distracted driving

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness month, and since the start of the pandemic, distracted driving has increased. According to the Travelers 2023 Risk Index on Distracted Driving, 70% of survey participants believe that distracted driving is a greater issue now than it was a few years ago, and respondents admitted to engaging in distracting activities while driving that include making phone calls, using social media and taking photos or videos on handheld devices. 

The CCC Intelligent Solutions' 2023 Crash Course report finds that drivers are speeding and driving distracted now, post-pandemic, more than ever, with claims increased by 3.7% in 2022 from 2021. 

Data from Driver Technologies indicates that driver safety programs and anti-distraction technologies are reducing distractions behind the wheel, however. Analysis of over 17,000 drivers utilizing the Driver dash cam for 20 hours yielded that drivers were 11 times less likely to speed and 4 times less likely to drive past stop signs without stopping. Drivers were also three times less likely to tailgate or brake hard, potentially preventing vehicle collisions. 

"One of the main ways telematics data helps reduce and eliminate distracted driving is by getting drivers to put their phones down. Telematics data can identify phone use while driving and penalize users who are distracted via reducing their driving scores or insurance premium discounts. The negative reinforcement helps discourage phone use while driving and instead drivers focus on the task at hand, driving," Marcus Newbury, COO and co-founder at Driver Technologies, writes to Digital Insurance. 

"Computer vision is another incredible technology helping reduce and eliminate distracted driving through dash cam or in-cabin camera footage as it helps identify objects and audibly alert them when getting too close to the car in front. Many newer vehicles also offer dash cams and in-cabin cameras that use computer vision to audibly alert drivers who start to nod off while driving by identifying changes in head poses that are not focused on the road," adds Newbury.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's survey published in November 2022 reports that distracted driving behaviors are more prevalent amongst individuals under 50 years old, though all age groups and demographics engage in distracted driving overall. Research from Nationwide's 2023 Driving Behaviors survey echoes this, reporting that cellphone use behind the wheel is especially prevalent among Gen Z and Millennial drivers. The report shows that 32% of Gen Z and 38% of Millennials admitted to texting while driving and 47% of both groups say they have answered or made a call on a handheld device while behind the wheel.

Kelly Hernandez, assistant vice president of Nationwide's Personal Lines Telematics, says, "In general, there was a concerning trend with our younger generation of drivers. The Gen Zs, who pretty much grew up with a phone in their hand, some of their numbers were also very surprising… 34% admitted to video chatting while they were driving, and if you're talking to your friend on the phone, your eyes are definitely not on the road."

Hernandez says, "One of the things that we've identified is that it's hard to fix bad behaviors that you don't know you have. With our programs like telematics – SmartRide, as an example – with their mobile app, we provide a lot of insights into how you're driving and where you may have opportunities."

In 2020, Nationwide began gathering and analyzing distracted driving data and saw, "70% of all trips taken everyday had distraction. And 45% of our drivers are distracted at least once a day…" says Hernandez. She notes that Nationwide implemented an "awareness only" experience in which drivers received feedback on distracted driving behaviors. 

"Just by providing that awareness, we were able to reduce distraction by almost 10 points, which is really exciting because it shows that these programs do work. They do help our drivers become safer. It shows that something like distraction is coachable," Hernandez states.

Joan Woodward, president of the Travelers Institute and executive vice president of Public Policy at Travelers, also shares the solutions and technology available to combat distracted driving, available through Travelers, in an email to Digital Insurance. 

"One of the primary ways Travelers has focused on raising awareness of distracted driving is through consumer education. This includes: The company's annual Distracted Driving Risk Index, a survey of 1,000 consumers and more than 1,000 business leaders. It highlights the common behaviors many drivers may be participating in behind the wheel and offers actionable solutions to help address those risks. …" writes Woodward.

Woodward also believes that telematics can help prevent distracted driving behaviors. Travelers' IntelliDrive is a program that assesses a driver's behaviors and performance through a mobile app by gathering data on cell phone usage and crash detection. Drivers with safe driving habits are rewarded with insurance savings and those who show riskier habits may receive higher premiums. 

"With IntelliDrive, we have built in additional resources to discourage distracted driving, such as the 'Distraction Free Streak' feature, which alerts drivers to the number of trips they've completed in a row without interacting with their phone," Woodward writes.