March 28, 2023
Travelers survey: Distracted driving is up, but drivers admit to using electronic devices
Courtesy photo
Travelers Insurance in Hartford
By Skyler Frazer
People believe distracted driving is more of a problem now than in recent years, according to a recent survey by Travelers Cos., though a majority of respondents acknowledged using electronic devices while on the roadways.
Travelers today announced the results of its 2023 Travelers Risk Index on distracted driving, the company’s annual survey that highlights dangerous behaviors on roadways.
According to the survey, which polled 1,000 customers in January, 70% of respondents said they think distracted driving is more of a problem now than it has been over the past few years.
According to Travelers, using electronic devices while driving remains one of the leading causes of distraction on roadways. Per the survey, 80% of respondents admitted to making or receiving calls; 57% said they used handheld devices; 28% said they have posted on social media; and 27% acknowledged taking photos or videos while driving.
Employers have noticed an uptick in distracted driving, too, according to survey results from 1,116 executives from businesses of all sizes. More than 30% of executives said that their employees have been involved in crashes while traveling for business because they were distracted by their mobile devices. That’s a 19% increase from the year prior, according to Travelers.
But work-related stress is a cause of distracted driving, according to the survey. Thirty-seven percent of workers surveyed said that they have taken work-related calls, texts or emails while driving; 44% said they did so in case it was a work-related emergency, and 43% responded that they felt the need to always be available for their employer.
In addition to using cell phones and other handheld electronic devices, drivers said drowsiness and heightened emotions contributed to their distracted driving. More than 75% of drivers who responded to the survey said that they have experienced stress or intense emotions while behind the wheel, and 62% said that they have driven while drowsy.
Drivers said an auto discount, a financial reward or increased fines for distracted driving could motivate them to remain focused on the roadways. Respondents also said a passenger asking them to not use their electronic devices while driving could encourage them.
Hart Research was commissioned to conduct both the customer and executive surveys in January.
According to the National Safety Council, deaths due to preventable traffic crashes increased 18% in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels before 2020.
Connecticut legislators have been discussing one way to curb driving-related incidents and deaths during this year’s General Assembly session: reducing the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers and boaters.
S.B. 1082, which was put on the Connecticut Senate calendar this morning, would lower the blood alcohol content for driving and boating under the influence from 0.08 to 0.05 of 1% of alcohol, by weight.
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