BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The Travelers
Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies,
Inc. (NYSE: TRV),
today will co-host a symposium with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of
Public Health in Boston to explore new approaches to reducing distracted
driving-related crashes.
A growing body of research shows the dangers of distracted driving.
According to data published this month by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, approximately 10 percent of fatal crashes in 2016
involved distracted drivers — resulting in an average of more than nine
fatalities per day.
Drivers continue to use electronic devices behind the wheel despite
widespread recognition of the danger it creates. In the 2018
Travelers Risk Index, 85 percent of people surveyed said it is
extremely risky to use smartphones or tablets while driving, yet 40
percent of all respondents said they talk on the phone or look at their
GPS device while driving. Further, only 12 percent of respondents use
safety features such as “auto-reply” and “do not disturb” to avoid
distractions.
“Distracted driving puts drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians
needlessly at risk every day,” said Joan Woodward, President of the
Travelers Institute and Executive Vice President of Public Policy at
Travelers. “We look forward to advancing the important conversation
about how we can all work together to positively change driving behavior
and help create safer roadways.”
Harvard Chan’s Center for Health Communication, which previously
spearheaded the U.S. Designated Driver campaign to mitigate
alcohol-related motor vehicle fatalities, is currently developing a
national media initiative to change social norms around distracted
driving. The symposium will contribute to the campaign’s development.
“In contrast to drunk driving, there is no social stigma associated with
distracted driving,” said Dr. Jay Winsten, Associate Dean for Health
Communication and the Harvard Center’s Founding Director. “We are
working to test new ideas to promote the social unacceptability of
driving while distracted.”
In addition to raising awareness, the symposium will examine new
insights derived from a growing understanding of the science of the
distracted brain, as well as potential tactics to change driving
behavior. The keynote speaker, Dr. Bryan Reimer, a research scientist at
the MIT AgeLab and the Associate Director for the New England University
Transportation Center, will discuss the changing dynamics of driver
distraction. The event will also feature a panel discussion moderated by
Woodward, who will be joined by Reimer, Winsten and Rafi Finegold, Vice
President, Product & Experience, TrueMotion.
The event will be held in collaboration with the National Safety
Council, the Road to Zero Coalition and MassBike, as part of the
Travelers Institute’s Every Second Matters℠ symposium series.
Visit the Travelers
Institute website for more information about the event and the
company’s Every Second Matters campaign.
About the Travelers Risk Index
Hart
Research conducted a national online survey of 1,000 consumers, ages
18 to 69, in March 2018. The survey was commissioned by Travelers.
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/20180427005433/en/
Media:
The Travelers Companies, Inc.
Judy Senechal,
860-277-2366
jlsenech@travelers.com
Source: The Travelers Companies, Inc.