Distracted Driving Has Impacted Insurance Penalties, Study Shows

Penalties that car insurance companies typically charge distracted drivers have increased exponentially over the past decade, according to insurance research provider The Zebra.

Since 2011, the average insurance penalty for distracted driving has increased exponentially, going from $5 to $357 in 2019, according to The Zebra. Despite this, drivers are more distracted than ever.

Highlights of the study include observing that a majority of people have done more than read a message or sent a text while driving; it found that one in four  drivers have also put on or taken off clothing while operating a vehicle (26.8%). And about one in seven drivers have applied makeup or deodorant (15.2%), engaged in sexual activity (14.9%), or hit a passenger (12.4%) while driving.

The study also found that New Yorkers admit to the most distracted driving followed by Washington, D.C., and St. Louis inhabitants. Seattle residents are America’s least distracted drivers.

Looking at different age groups, Generation Z drivers are most distracted, with distraction rates dropping significantly after age 40. Baby Boomers reported the lowest distraction rate, according to The Zebra. The study also found that nearly two-thirds of U.S. drivers (62.9%) know they should not use a phone while driving but do it anyway.

The Zebra surveyed 2,600 people in 25 cities across America to better understand the temptations of distracted driving.

Originally posted on Automotive Fleet