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NEWS you can use

The High Cost of Distracted Driving

3/16/2019

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Distracted driving
Some insurance companies are now treating distracted driving habits such as texting and/or holding a phone to your ear as a DUI “major violation.” Consequences could range from drastic rate increases or even cancellation.

Whether you've been driving for 30 years or 30 days, you cannot drive safely unless driving has your full attention. Any activity other than driving like playing with car controls, eating, applying makeup (you've seen that, right?) is a potential distraction which increases your risk of having or causing an accident.

The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) does yet not penalize distracted driving with the same number of points as a major violation. But some insurance companies are starting to. And, many more are following suit.

Better Driving Habits and Rewards with Telematics
To help curb distracted driving and help customers improve their driving habits, many insurance companies offer Telematics by way of a smartphone app or plug-in device. Telematics helps drivers become more aware of and make improvements to their driving habits. Some offer 5- to 10% sign-up discounts and up to a 30% discounts either at the end of the telematics period or upon renewal.

Disturbing Facts of Distracted Driving
  • In 2017, distracted driving was reported in crashes that killed 3,166 people (8.5% of all fatalities).(1)
  • Each day in the United States, approximately 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.(2)
  • Sending or reading a text message takes your eyes off the road for about 5 seconds, long enough to cover a football field while driving at 55 mph.(3)
  • In 2015, 42% of high school students who drove in the past 30 days reported sending a text or email while driving.(4)
Common causes of teen crashes
Sources:
(1) National Center for Statistics and Analysis. (2017, October). 2016 Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview (Traffic Safety Facts Crash•Stats. Report No. DOT HS 812 456). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812456)
(2) National Center for Statistics and Analysis. Distracted Driving: 2015 in Traffic Safety Research
(3) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Facts and Statistics. [cited 2016 Feb 23] Available from: http://www.distraction.gov/stats-research-laws/facts-and-statistics.html
(4) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance- United States, 2015. 2016.

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Distracted Driving: Facts. Figures. Focus.

3/6/2018

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Picture
Distracted driving is anything that takes a driver's attention away from driving. Distractions include activities such as talking on a phone or texting, eating, drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, and operating  the vehicle's entertainment or navigation system.

Facts:
  • Taking your eyes off the road for 5 seconds at 55 mph, is the equivalent to driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. Reading a text message while driving distracts a driver for a minimum of five seconds each time. (1)
  • Every day, 11 teenagers die because they were texting while driving. (1)

Figures (2):
  • Every year, about 421,000 people are injured in crashes that have involved a distracted driver.
  • Each year, over 330,000 accidents caused by texting while driving lead to severe injuries. This means that over 78% of all distracted drivers are distracted because they have been texting while driving.
  • 1 out of 4 car accidents in the US are caused by texting while driving.
  • Texting and driving is 6 times more likely to get you in an accident than drunk driving.
Picture
Infographic courtesy of Tipmont REMC (4)
Distracted driving accidents are increasing auto insurance rates for everyone.
Insurance companies are very much aware of the distracted driving  problem, as it has caused a spike in accidents in recent years.

More accidents equate to higher costs for insurance companies, and insurers pass along these costs to you, the customer. The Boston Globe reports that insurers plan on increasing auto premiums 3% to 6% on Massachusetts drivers, on top of increases of 6% to 9% in 2016.(3)

The answer? Stay focused.
You cannot drive safely unless you are driving with your full attention. Any non-driving activity is a potential distraction, which increases the risk of having or causing an accident.

So pay attention to the road. Fewer crashes equal less costs to insurers, which could translate into lower rates for drivers.
1. Source: https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving
2. Source: http://distracteddriveraccidents.com/25-shocking-distracted-driving-statistics
3. Source: http://time.com/money/4706657/auto-insurance-rates-distracted-driving-smartphones/
4. Source: https://www.tipmont.org/safety/safety-blog/item/5-distracted-driving-stats-you-should-know
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    Melanie Thomson-Tregoning is a Licensed Insurance Agent and VP of Marketing for Connecticut Insurance Exchange, Ltd.

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