Travelers Institute and University of Pennsylvania research centers
host event on innovative approaches to reducing distracted driving
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers
Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV),
will host a symposium, “Harnessing Science, Tech and Innovation to
Combat Distracted Driving,” today at the University of Pennsylvania. The
program, part of the company’s Every Second Matters℠ distracted
driving education series, is being held in conjunction with the
Behavioral Science and Analytics for Injury Reduction Lab, the Center
for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, the Penn Injury Science
Center, Penn Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Center
for Injury Research and Prevention. The session will address the
behavioral science behind distracted driving and explore research-driven
approaches to increasing roadway safety.
Mobile devices continue to distract drivers in the greater Philadelphia
area. Travelers recently commissioned a survey of 435 of them and found
that 75 percent use a mobile device while driving, with 91 percent of
millennials, 79 percent of Gen Xers and 64 percent of baby boomers
engaging in this behavior.
The survey also identified how drivers in the region are using mobile
devices while behind the wheel. Top activities included:
-
Reading texts or emails (48 percent).
-
Updating or checking social media, such as Facebook or Twitter (23
percent).
-
Recording video (18 percent).
“Crashes caused by people choosing to look at their phone rather than
the road are entirely preventable,” said Michael Klein, Executive Vice
President and President, Personal Insurance at Travelers. “Technology
like a ‘Do Not Disturb’ function on your phone, which only 9 percent of
our survey respondents said they use, is one solution thatcan
help more drivers stay focused. Distracted driving remains a significant
danger in Philadelphia and across the country, underscoring the
importance of education, research and action.”
When it comes to preventing driver distraction, the Travelers survey
found that the greatest deterrent for all ages comes from the fear of
causing a collision (40 percent). This ranked higher than having a loved
one involved in a collision related to distracted driving; having the
option to utilize mobile device blocking technology; and legislation
prohibiting phone use.
Today’s symposium addressing behavioral insights and technology
solutions will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET and feature a panel discussion and
presentations from leading experts, including:
- Michael Klein, Executive Vice President and President, Personal
Insurance; Head of Enterprise Business Intelligence & Analytics,
Travelers.
- Kit Delgado, M.D., M.S., Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and
Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.
- Katherine Milkman, Ph.D., Professor of Operations, Information &
Decisions, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
- Kevin Volpp, M.D./Ph.D., Director, Penn Center for Health Incentives
and Behavioral Economics; Founders President’s Distinguished Professor
of Medicine, Medical Ethics and Policy, and Health Care Management,
Perelman School of Medicine and the Wharton School, University of
Pennsylvania.
- Rafi Finegold, Vice President, Loyalty & Behavior, TrueMotion.
The panel discussion will be moderated by Joan Woodward, President,
Travelers Institute and Executive Vice President, Public Policy,
Travelers.
“Distracted driving has become a national public health issue,” said Dr.
Delgado, who is also a practicing trauma center physician. “There are
many lessons to be learned from the study of human behavior and behavior
change. When you combine that with new, scalable technology available in
today’s smartphones, there may be promising avenues to explore to help
combat the distracted driving epidemic.”
Visit the Travelers
Institute’s website for more information about the company’s Every
Second Matters campaign.
Travelers Survey Methodology
The CARAVAN survey was
conducted by Engine on behalf of Travelers Nov. 20–25, 2018, among a
sample of 502 Philadelphia residents, 435 of whom are drivers, ages 18
or older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and
therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and
subgroup sample sizes, please contact Stephanie Arpin at sarpin@travelers.com.
About the Travelers Institute
The Travelers
Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies,
Inc., engages in discussion and analysis of public policy topics of
importance to the insurance marketplace and to the financial services
industry more broadly. The Travelers Institute draws upon the industry
expertise of Travelers’ senior management, as well as the technical
expertise of many of Travelers’ underwriters, risk managers and other
experts to provide information, analysis and solutions to public
policymakers and regulators. Travelers is a leading provider of property
casualty insurance for auto,
home
and business.
For more information, visit www.travelers.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005463/en/
Stephanie Arpin
860.277.8876
sarpin@travelers.com
Source: The Travelers Companies, Inc.