Two new studies examine distracted driving and its affects on safety and teens. EverQuote announced results of its second annual study. TeenSafe’s new study shows both teens and parents are texting and using their phones while driving.
EverQuote Inc., insurance marketplace in the U.S. connecting consumers with insurance providers and developer of the social safe-driving app, EverDrive, launched its second annual EverDrive Safe Driving Report, which found that although phone use while driving continues to be a national issue, there is positive correlation between distracted driving laws and reduced phone use.
The EverDrive Safe Driving Report 2018, which coincides with the National Safety Council’s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, aims to increase awareness of the dangers of distracted driving along with other common risky driving behaviors including speeding, hard braking, hard turning and aggressive acceleration.
It appears Apple’s “Do not disturb” feature is help.70 % used the DND While Driving after its released last September. From September 19 and October 25, those who used DND on their iPhones used their mobile devices 8% than those who did not have a similar feature.
In addition, 75% of drivers who use a “do not disturb” phone feature believe it makes them safer drivers, according to the study.
Speeding is the most common unsafe driving habit, but drivers are using their phones almost as much. Drivers speed on 38% of trips and used their phones on 37% of trips.
EverDrive users logged 781 million miles in 2017 and EverQuote analyzed the year’s data to produce this report. The report reveals driving data from 2017 across five categories: speeding, phone use, hard braking, hard turning and aggressive acceleration. EverQuote found on average that U.S. drivers use their phones on more than a third (37%) of trips. During trips with phone use, the average drive time was 29 minutes and drivers spent more than three minutes on their phones.
Drivers age 17 and under were the most cautious. They speed less than other age groups.
While distracted driving is a tragic epidemic claiming the lives of thousands each year, according to the Center for Disease Control, EverQuote found a positive correlation between distracted driving laws and reduced phone use behind the wheel. Four of the five states where drivers had the least amount of phone use while driving — Hawaii, Oregon, Vermont and Washington — have three distracted driving laws in place: a hand-held cell phone ban, texting and driving ban, and a ban on all cell phone use for novice drivers.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to end distracted driving,” said Seth Birnbaum, CEO & Co-Founder of EverQuote. “However, we believe that our safe driving app, EverDrive, is one type of technology that can help curb distracted driving. Using apps like EverDrive that monitor and record unsafe driving behavior create more aware drivers and, ultimately, we hope that awareness spurs change. Additionally, we believe that pairing this type of technology with stricter distracted driving laws could help reduce phone use while driving.”
Additional findings from the 2018 EverDrive Safe Driving Report show:
- Midwesterners are the safest drivers. Drivers in Midwestern states have the highest safe-driving scores in the country. Drivers in Northeastern states have the lowest — also for the second year in a row.
- There’s not a big gender gap when it comes to safe driving. Overall, men and women scored similarly. Men speed slightly more than women: On 40% of their trips versus 38% of women’s. Women use their phones while driving slightly more than men: On 42% of their trips versus 38% of men’s trips.
- Young adult drivers age 18 to 20 use their phones on nearly half of trips (47%). Younger drivers age 17 or under use their phones on 43% of trips. Drivers age 21 and over use their phones on 38% of trips.
- Speeding is the most common unsafe driving habit, but phone use while driving is a close second. Drivers speed on 38% of trips and use their phones on 37% of trips.
The top five states with the best driving habits are:
- Montana and Wyoming – Both states have an overall an overall score of 89.4 out of 100. Montana drivers also had the lowest percent of trips with speeding (19%).
- South Dakota – South Dakota ranked third with an overall score of 88.2 out of 100. For South Dakota drivers, 33% of trips included cell phone use and 20% had speeding.
- Alaska and Idaho – Drivers in these states had overall safe driving scores of 87.2 and 87.1 out of 100, respectively.
The five states with the worst driving habits were:
- Connecticut and Rhode Island– Drivers in these states had overall scores of 71.6 and 71.7 out of 100, respectively. The Constitution State slipped down a spot from its 49th ranking last year. EverDrive data shows that Connecticut drivers have 34% of trips with cell phone use and 56% of trips with speeding. Rhode Island driver have 39% of trips with cell phone use and 56% of trips with speeding.
- Pennsylvania – Keeping the same ranking as last year, Pennsylvania ranks 48th this year with an overall driving score of 74.7 out of 100, with 37% of trips with cell phone use and 49% of trips with speeding.
- Delaware and Maryland – Drivers in the First State had an overall driving score of 76.1 out of 100, with 40% of trips with cell phone use and 51% of trips with speeding. Drivers in the Old Line State also had an overall score of 76.1 out of 100, with 38% of trips with cell phone use and 51% of trips with speeding.
TeenSafe Distracted Driving Facts
TeenSafe, the first and leading independent smartphone monitoring service for parents, has released the top distracted driving facts and statistics for 2018 as part of the National Safety Council’s Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
Some other dramatic statistics include:
- 20 percent of teens and 10 percent of parents cite they have extended, multi-message text conversations while they’re behind the wheel.
- An additional passenger with a teen doubles the risk of getting into a fatal car crash. If two or more passengers are present, the odds become five times higher.
- A poll shows that 77 percent of adults and 55 percent of teenage drivers believe they can easily manage texting while simultaneously navigating the road.
- 80 percent of car crashes are attributed to a driver being distracted or not paying attention.
- Approximately 660,000 drivers use their smartphones while driving during daylight hours, creating a large potential for crashes and fatalities.
It takes only three seconds for a driver’s attention to be diverted for a crash to occur – an issue that is exacerbated in teens who don’t have years of driving experience.
TeenSafe is taking steps to limit distracted driving, now considered the “new drunk driving,” and is currently developing a future product that will directly combat the issue by using smartphone technology.
More than one million parents have turned to TeenSafe to effectively manage how the digital world impacts their children’s lives.
BsafeMobile.com is the only solution for distracted driving.