Distracted deniers: The new profile of a distracted driver

Distracted driving continues to be a growing issue in our driving culture, quickly moving towards an epidemic level. The numbers are sobering, as 1 in 4 car crashes are estimated to involve cellphone use and each day over 1,000 people are injured, and nine killed because of distracted driving in the US, an increase of 17% since 2014.

According to the findings of our 2019 distracted driving study, America’s perception of distracted driving is becoming increasingly disconnected from how drivers behave when they are behind the wheel. We have categorized this expanding group as the “Distracted Deniers,” drivers who are aware and genuinely concerned about different types of distracted driving, yet whose efforts to prevent those behaviors have decreased by just 10% since 2018.

As April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, we see this as a great moment to help educate Distracted Deniers on the massive risk that their negligent behavior poses to themselves as well as fellow drivers.

Distracted driving survey takeaways

Key findings include:

• Nearly all drivers consider phone usage to be rarely/never permittable, but almost all admit to using their phone while driving
• Since 2018, drivers feel less confident in their ability to deal with distractions, and their concerns when driving have increased. However, efforts to minimize distractions are declining
• Fewer than half of drivers are aware of the insurance consequences from distracted driving. However, discounts on insurance premiums is the top motivation for drivers to be safer on the road

The data that we have collected from our connections to more than 15 million drivers each month, has given us unique insights in to not only how people behave behind the wheel, but what those behaviors cost.

Quantifying distracted driving

As April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, we see this as a great moment to help educate Distracted Deniers on the massive risk that their negligent behavior poses to themselves as well as fellow drivers.

Identifying and combating different types of distracted driving was why we were created in the first place. With the combination of Arity’s exceptional heritage and innovative spirit, we have a unique ability to identify and quantify driving data at scale. Our unparalleled capability to evaluate and understand driving behavior through data is at a deeper level than anyone else in the industry, enabling us to validate both the depth and impact of distracted driving today in a totally new way.

The benefits of quantifying the risks of distracted driving will allow us to help our customers price services accurately and more importantly, report this information back to consumers to encourage safer driving habits. These insights on driver behavior are available through Arity’s Drivesight® score, which analyzes driving behavior, including phone handling, to measure a drivers’ relative risk.

Through the Distracted Driving study, we sought to identify and understand what will motivate people to change. Is it highlighting impactful statistics and analyses like these? Do drivers need educational material about the personal and cultural benefits of driving safer? While the answer could be a combination of both, we are committed to the continued exploration and will work closely with our partners to learn more about what will motivate drivers to change.

In the end, when we commit to aligning our actions with our words and with what we know to be true thanks to data insights, that is when we’re on the highway to saving lives.