Workplace pressures, desire to multitask and lack of third-party
intervention among reasons for the continuing trend
HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Ahead of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, The Travelers Companies,
Inc. (NYSE: TRV)
today announced the results of the 2019
Travelers Risk Index, which surveyed more than 2,000 consumers and
executives about distracted driving and the reasons behind it.
According to the Index, nearly eight in ten consumers talk on the phone
while driving, and more than 30 percent admit to having been in a
near-miss crash because they were distracted. And although distracted
driving poses potential liability risks for companies, many expect
employees to remain connected and do little to discourage such behaviors
behind the wheel.
“It’s startling to see that drivers continue to engage in potentially
life-threatening habits,” said Chris Hayes, Second Vice President of
Transportation, Risk Control at Travelers. “Whether driving for work or
on personal time, many drivers overlook risks that make our roads more
dangerous for all of us.”
Driving Distracted Is a Tough Habit to Break
The Travelers Risk Index identified common distractions when behind the
wheel, including:
-
Typing a text or email (44 percent).
-
Using social media (23 percent).
-
Recording videos or taking photos (22 percent).
-
Shopping online (15 percent).
A small yet alarming number of drivers say it would be difficult to stop
such behaviors. Thirteen percent of respondents say they would find it
very difficult to stop reading texts or emails while driving, and 11
percent say it would be difficult to stop typing texts or emails while
driving. In addition, five percent of respondents say they would find it
very difficult to stop shopping online while driving.
Although many smartphones have settings to help drivers stay focused,
most drivers do not use these features. Consistent with last year’s
Index, only 12 percent of consumers set their phones to Do Not Disturb
while driving. In fact, of those respondents who do not activate the Do
Not Disturb feature, 41 percent actively choose not to turn it on, while
others simply forget to turn it on or find it inconvenient to do so (35
percent).
Workplace Accountability Is Lacking
The 2019 Index suggests that many workplaces do not consider the full
consequences of distracted driving and do not do enough to curb
dangerous driving behavior.
Work-related crashes can result in significant costs, including health
care payments and losses in productivity. According to the National
Safety Council, the average economic cost of a crash is more than $1
million per death and more than $78,000 per nonfatal disabling injury.
However, 12 percent of executives surveyed do not worry about the
liability associated with a crash caused by a distracted employee, and
most (74 percent) do not consider distracted driving to be of great
concern.
The connected culture and mounting workplace expectations may be
contributing to distracted driving. While most businesses report being
at least somewhat concerned about employees’ use of mobile devices on
the road, an overwhelming majority (87 percent) of executives expect
workers to be sometimes or frequently reachable outside of the office.
Many employees feel this pressure, as 20 percent of respondents who
admit to replying to work-related messages while driving say they do so
because they worry about upsetting their boss. Further, nearly half of
those same respondents say they always need to be available or do not
want to miss a work-related emergency. Lastly, 17 percent say drive time
is when they get a lot of work done.
“The pressure to always be online and connected can be deadly,” added
Hayes. “Even though distraction-related crashes occur frequently, some
companies continue to expect constant connectivity without considering
what’s at stake.”
Three out of four workplaces have implemented distracted driving
policies to help address such issues. However, just 18 percent of
businesses advise employees to set their phones to Do Not Disturb before
driving, and only 40 percent report knowing of an employee who was
disciplined for not complying with company policy.
Passive Passengers Let Behaviors Go Unchecked
Warding off digital addiction requires more than employer policies.
According to the survey, a conversation about driving behavior can make
a difference. Sixteen percent of consumers say they rarely or never
speak up while in a car with a distracted driver, yet more than half say
they would likely cease distracted driving behaviors if they were asked
to do so.
Some conversations about distracted driving are already happening:
Two-thirds of parents have spoken to their children about distracted
driving, and the same amount of companies say they have an employee
education program about the dangers of distracted driving and how to
avoid it.
For more information about the 2019 Travelers Risk Index, please visit travelers.com/riskindex.
About the Travelers Risk Index
Hart Research conducted a national online survey of 1,000 consumers,
ages 18 to 69, in March 2019. Separately, Hart surveyed 1,050 executives
from businesses of all sizes. Both surveys were commissioned by
Travelers.
About Travelers
The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV)
is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto,
home
and business.
A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Travelers has
approximately 30,000 employees and generated revenues of approximately
$30 billion in 2018. For more information, visit www.travelers.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190327005436/en/
Sperry Mylott, 860.277.5075
[email protected]
Kate
Thermansen, 860.954.1789
[email protected]
Source: The Travelers Companies, Inc.