Distracted driving surges during the holiday season

During the busy holiday season, millions of people will be traveling via plane, train and automobile and there is one thing we know for sure – distraction will be at an all-time high.

From checking the latest Instagram post from a college friend or sending a text to your partner to let them know that you’re going to be 15 minutes late… the data overwhelmingly shows there will be more people staring at their phones this holiday season. Which obviously means that distracted driving will be at an all-time high from now until the first of the year

Drivers are almost 8% more distracted during the holiday season.

We recently reviewed our data, including 12 million active users worldwide, and it showed that no matter where you live or are traveling to, drivers are almost 8% more distracted during the holiday season (according to the number of times a phone has been handled when a vehicle is moving). Additionally, according to a survey that we commissioned earlier this year, over 25% of drivers reported being in an accident caused by distracted driving and nearly 65% of young drivers (age 18-28) engage in phone use like texting, watching videos and reading while driving.

But there is something you can do to protect you and those you love while you are traveling over the next few weeks. Here are three fundamental tips to help prevent distracted driving this holiday season:

• Map your route in advance: Set your route before you get in the car so you don’t need to fidget with navigation behind the wheel.
• Share your whereabouts with family and friends: Over communicate and let your family and friends know where you are when you’re on-the-go so you don’t have to message them while driving.
• Block out cell distractions: Consider using apps that detect when your vehicle is in motion and automatically block incoming calls and messages when you’re driving.

The holiday season can be hectic and stressful at times. But as you are racing around to get wherever you’re going, whether it’s the mall or your parents’ house, please remember to keep our focus on the road, because saving a few minutes is not worth the cost.

Explore more distracted driving insights.