We live in a connected world these days. With a few taps of your phone you can book a flight, buy a car or even order a pizza for friends in another state. All these options for entertainment and information can be great, but not for drivers behind the wheel.
Distracted driving is an increasingly dangerous phenomenon with drivers across the United States. According to the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration, when a driver is behind the wheel and using their smartphone to text, call or use an app, they are 23% more likely to cause a crash. In fact, 2016 took 40,200 people in general traffic accidents, a 14% increase from 2014 overall.
Does Distracted Driving affect Insurance?
It’s not hard to believe that taking your eyes off the road is dangerous. A survey from Allstate insurance shows that the average driver is aware of the risks as well. Of the 7,500 drivers Allstate surveyed between 2013 and 2016, nearly half of them acknowledge that they text and drive. Of those who admitted to texting and driving, 70% confessed that they were worse at texting as well as driving. This isn’t surprising; the same survey showed that texting is also the biggest cause of distracted driving compared to phone calls, passengers, eating and adjusting music.
The best way to combat distracted driving is to put your phone away or remind anyone you drive with to avoid distraction. Overall, younger drivers are the main suspect behind this issue. The NHTSA reports that 10% of drivers aged 15 to 19 in fatal crashes were distracted. With this high rate of dangerous teenage drivers, cars are coming out with more sophisticated safety features to take the phone out of your hand or make your driving safer. However, devices like backup cameras make vehicles more expensive to maintain or repair, increasing premiums. Overall, insurance companies have responded by raising premiums to make up for expensive features, lawsuits and medical bills caused by distracted drivers.
Contact Insurance Quotes Salt Lake
If you’re shopping for insurance for a teenager, keep all these factors in mind and don’t let them drive distracted. Not only is the habit dangerous to them and other drivers, it can result in expensive rates and even criminal charges. Get an accurate look at insurance rates across Salt Lake City and Utah with Insurance Quotes Salt Lake.
