How do consumers view driver safety technology?

April 24, 2023 6:30 AM

Loss adjuster wearing hi-vis safety vest standing in compound for damaged cars taking photo for insurance claim report on digital tablet

Distracted driving has become an even greater concern as certain behaviors have increased since the beginning of the pandemic. Cambridge Mobile Telematics' (CMT) recently published, "The State of Distracted Driving in 2023 & the Future of Road Safety," it shows that drivers used their cell phones on 58% of trips in 2022, compared to 54% in 2020, and screen interaction increased 23% in 2022 from 2020. The report also discusses the role that telematics plays in safe driving – one CMT study reports that those who interact with a telematics app three times a week are 57% less distracted than drivers who do not engage with telematics. Another study mentioned in the report finds that drivers with unsafe driving habits were 25% less distracted.

Though many insurance carriers and insurtechs offer safety technology like mobile apps or smart dash cams to reduce distractions while driving, some consumers and commercial organizations continue to opt out of such solutions. Digital Insurance reached out to insurance companies to learn more about how consumers view anti-distraction technologies and the barriers that prevent consumers from implementing these safety solutions.

The following responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

Nationwide:

Kelly Hernandez, assistant vice president of Personal Lines Telematics at Nationwide, says, "Over the past few years in particular, people really want personalization and customization, and telematics enables that. What we found is when we talk to our customers about it, obviously they love the savings potential with these programs, but they also love the insights. In our direct channel, we started consistently offering these programs to every single customer, with getting adoption over 70%. It's really just helping them understand the programs and what the benefits are that helps them overcome any of those concerns..."

In regards to whether age plays a role in the perception of telematics, Hernandez adds, "I would say everybody likes to save money. With our SmartRide program, the average savings right now is around 24% and with SmartMiles it's 34% – and that's significant, especially in the environment today, we're seeing people of all ages signing up for these programs."

Driver Technologies:

Marcus Newbury, chief operating officer and co-founder of Driver Technologies, writes to Digital Insurance, "From an actual technology perspective, the cost is one of the biggest inhibitors of implementing anti-distraction solutions. For example, in the small fleet industry, most drivers are not driving around in the newest vehicle outfitted with all the latest safety tools. If a fleet wants to update its vehicle value, it must spend money to invest, which is tough for a low-margin operating fleet," Newbury writes in an email interview. "The second biggest inhibitor is the stigma behind implementing safety technology means a lack of privacy as people fear being monitored. At Driver, we combat this by providing cloud storage where users maintain complete control of their data stored and can choose to share their driving videos, AI analysis, safety warnings and location with interested parties such as employers, insurers and family members."

Marcus Newbury, COO and co-founder of Driver Technologies

Driver Technologies

Newbury adds, "While many anti-distraction solutions might be perceived as challenging to implement, we are working diligently at Driver Technologies to make access to safety technology easy for all. A lot of our efforts come down to increasing awareness and advocating for safety technology as it is key to understanding that it doesn't matter what the cost is to implement the technology as human life is always worth more. We're working with partners in the industry and non-profits, such as The Kiefer Foundation and StopDistractions.org, along with several other organizations to promote the awareness of simply putting your phone down and paying attention to the road."

Motive

Abhishek Gupta, Motive's senior director of Fleet Management Products, writes:

"The challenge among many organizations is that they see safety as a cost center. When asked if driver safety performance was a priority, 95% of respondents to our recent survey of trucking companies said 'yes.' But when asked to rank priorities from a list of options, 'improving safety' ranked behind 'increasing revenue' and 'minimizing expenses.'"

Abhishek Gupta, Senior Director of Fleet Management Products at Motive

Motive

"Data from the Motive State of Safety Report coupled with FMCSA data on the average cost of a large commercial vehicle crash found that fleets that have implemented an AI-powered safety solution to prevent crashes saved anywhere between $91,000 and $1.72M in 2022. And the survey found that more than half (52%) of large fleets surveyed say they have saved over $10,000 by implementing a safety program, while 20% of firms have saved over $100,000. Organizations are also worried about driver privacy and drivers feeling that they might be violated while on the job. To help alleviate this, Motive has a privacy mode that only activates the driver facing camera when the vehicle is moving,"
Gupta explains. "In short, if businesses can see safety as a profit center instead of a cost center then prioritization can naturally follow."

Travelers:

Travelers provided data on distracted driving solutions for businesses and organizations from the Travelers' 2023 Risk Index:

"While business owners are concerned and think they're implementing policies and protecting workers, there's a disconnect.

Only 26% of respondents report their employer has an official policy about sending or receiving work-related phone calls, texts or emails while driving.
In fact, 38% of employees said they take work-related calls, texts or emails while behind the wheel with a boss, coworker or client. When asked why, 43% responded they feel they always need to be available and 44% say it may be an emergency.

What can employers do?

87% of businesses formally train employees on its policy for sending or receiving calls, texts or emails while driving.
72% of businesses report they discipline employees who do not comply with their policy while driving for work purposes.
43% of companies use technology to track employees while driving."