Being ingrained in a constant flow of information, the fear of missing out, and communication at our fingertips has equated to smartphone addictions for many drivers. Scrolling through social media, texting, or emailing while sitting on the couch is much different than doing so while behind the wheel.
That seems like a self-explanatory sentence, but still, so many people drive distracted. The numbers prove it.
A survey and study by the car insurance marketplace, The Zebra, produced some interesting results surrounding driver behaviors and the impact distracted driving’s impact on car insurance rates.
Texting and driving versus drinking and driving
These results in no way encourage drivers to perform one action over the other. Instead, to inform drivers of the dangers surrounding each action.
- A distracted driver is six times more likely to cause a car accident than a drunk driver
- At a 4:1 rate, more men drink and drive
- Women are more susceptible to texting and driving
- Drinking and driving leads to around 10,000 car crash fatalities per year
- Distracted driving vehicle accidents injured an estimated 400,000 people in 2018
- While driving, cell phone usage in any form equates to driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08% (the legal limit across all 50 states).
Driving behaviors across all age groups (18-65 plus)
Over 50% of the respondents to The Zebra’s distracted driving survey stated that despite being exposed to advertising campaigns condemning distracted driving, they still regularly partake in such behaviors.
- Drivers age 20-29 most commonly use their smartphone while driving
- 40% of teen drivers responded that they experienced a motor vehicle accident that was caused by cell phone use
- 19% of drivers across all age groups actively surf the web while driving
- 33% of drivers ages 18-64 actively send and respond to emails or text messages while driving
Car insurance impact
Distracted driving has caused car insurance penalties to grow by nearly 8,000%. The average increase across all 50 states is 23%. In Connecticut, the rate increase surpasses 64%. In Michigan, ticketed drivers would experience a rate increase of 27.15% or around $840 per year.
Distracted driving is a nationwide issue that leads to many severe injuries and fatalities to drivers and passengers. If you involved in a car crash caused by the negligence of another driver, you might be entitled to fair compensation.
