Distracted Driving: Facts. Figures. Focus.

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.

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