Drivers Admit to Distracted Driving on a Daily Basis: Report

Northeast regional insurance group Plymouth Rock Assurance released the results of a new study revealing nearly two-thirds of drivers polled engage in distracted driving behavior every day. Results also show:

• More than one-half of respondents have witnessed another driver texting with at least one adult passenger in the car.
• Nearly 40 percent have witnessed a driver texting with at least one child in the car.
• Between 70 percent and 87 percent, depending on the situation, did nothing after witnessing another driver engage in a distracted driving behavior.

“As a company dedicated to keeping our drivers safe on the road, the results of this study are enough to keep us up at night,” stated Gerry Wilson, president and CEO of Plymouth Rock in New Jersey. “However, hope is certainly not lost – the study also revealed that over the last year, the number of drivers polled in New Jersey who park safely before texting has doubled. To us, this trend means we are on the right track toward a cultural shift in driving behavior, not unlike the adoption of seat belts or awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving. We know change is possible, and we intend on doing everything we can to continue to raise awareness about distracted driving.”

Methodology

This survey consisted of 3,300 consumers with valid driver’s licenses who operate a vehicle at least once per week living in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont. The survey included questions to identify awareness, sensitivity, behavior, and attitudes inclusive of distracted driving associated with mobile technology and those not commonly considered as detrimental to road safety. Behaviors such as tuning the car radio, conversing with other passengers, personal grooming, eating and drinking and programming a GPS were also studied. The study had a 95 percent confidence interval and +/- 2 percent margin of error. The survey was conducted with Customer Care Measurement & Consulting (CCMC), a market research consultant firm located in Alexandria, Va.

Source: Plymouth Rock Assurance