Distracted Driving: Why Awareness Alone Isn’t Working

Although the dangers of distracted driving are taught in every driver’s education course, more than one-third of drivers admit to doing it anyway.

Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety highlights that even though drivers support additional restrictions to prevent distracted driving, their own actions behind the wheel tell a very different story. An overwhelming majority of drivers recognize the risks: 97% say scrolling through social media is unsafe, 94% know texting or emailing is dangerous and 90% admit reading on a phone is risky.

The gap between knowing the risks and changing behavior doesn’t just increase the chances of accidents. It drives insurance claims and consequences that reach far beyond paperwork and payouts.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2023 alone, 3,021 fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes involved distraction, representing 8% of the 37,654 fatal crashes nationwide. Those crashes involved 3,143 distracted drivers, and 3,275 people were killed in distraction-affected crashes, accounting for 8% of the 40,901 total traffic fatalities.

To prevent these devastating and often avoidable losses, insurers, automakers, agents and drivers must work in lockstep. Claims professionals are uniquely positioned to help the industry evolve from a reactive claims model to one centered on proactive prevention.

More Tech: Solution or Distraction?

One thing is certain: drivers can’t seem to ignore their phones. In 2023, cellphone use played a part in 369 deadly crashes, according to NHTSA. As cars become smarter, in-car technology is playing an increasingly complex role in distraction-related crashes. Hands-free calling, voice-to-text and voice controls are specifically designed to reduce distraction by letting drivers stay connected without taking their hands off the wheel or eyes off the road. Many cars can even block certain phone functions while the car is moving. But that leads to a new question: are all these big screens and digital displays actually helping, or are they just creating new distractions?

To address these concerns, car makers are making systems more user-friendly. Steering wheel controls, head-up displays, and driver-monitoring cameras are becoming more common, all aimed at keeping drivers focused on the road. Newer models have also included advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and added safety features such as lane-keeping assistance and fatigue alerts that monitor signs of driver fatigue and provide warnings when needed. However, they also add complexity to repairs and are reshaping the claims landscape. Sensors, cameras, and required calibrations make even minor collisions more expensive to fix. While these systems may reduce crash severity, they are reshaping the economics of claims by increasing repair complexity.

As more cars with advanced technology are on the roads, claims teams are seeing these features show up more often in accident investigations and repair estimates. Understanding which systems were in the car, whether they were on, and how they may have affected driver behavior is now key to evaluating both liability and loss costs.

While new technology can help reduce the frequency and severity of crashes, the real benefit depends on whether drivers understand and properly use these systems. Claims professionals are no longer just loss responders—they are in a unique position to spot which technologies actually help and which just add to the repair bill. By analyzing how different technologies hold up in actual claims, claims teams are helping shape not just underwriting and risk prevention strategies, but also the broader conversation about the future of vehicle safety and claims management.

Behavior-Based Programs and Data-Driven Prevention

Usage-based insurance programs are also actively influencing claim frequency and severity. Telematics data, which underpins many UBI offerings, has already shown it can make driving safer. In a 2024 telematics report, 72% of fleet respondents reported a reduction in crashes and claims after implementing telematics alongside safety initiatives. When insurers offer lower premiums and added benefits like transportation reimbursement or concierge-style service, they give drivers a concrete reason to stay safe behind the wheel and build better habits and avoid accidents in the first place.

At the same time, telematics data provides clear insight into driver behavior at the time of a loss, enabling more accurate coverage decisions, faster investigations and improved conversations with policyholders. This visibility is especially important as 68% of Gen Z drivers report texting or interacting with texts while driving, a 2025 Insurify survey shows.

By identifying risky behaviors early and pairing that insight with coaching, incentives, or usage-based pricing, insurers can intervene before habits turn into high-severity claims. Addressing those behaviors proactively reduces distracted driving incidents, a persistent and costly source of loss.

While new risks will continue to emerge, the combination of behavior-based programs, real-time data and safer vehicle technology is key to helping create a more stable and proactive claims environment.

Closing the Gaps

Claims data provides a real-world view of how well insurers’ driving campaigns and enforcement efforts are working and where there’s still room for improvement. When telematics or other behavior-based monitoring programs are used effectively, improvements appear in claim trends. But those gains are not always sustained.

For insurers, that creates both a challenge and an opportunity. Claims data can pinpoint where risk is concentrated, which technologies are influencing outcomes, and where interventions are having a measurable impact. That insight can inform underwriting strategy, product design and risk mitigation initiatives.

The claims process itself is another powerful touchpoint. Post-loss conversations provide an opportunity to connect driver behavior, vehicle technology, and claim outcomes—reinforcing how specific choices and systems affect severity and repair costs. Over time, aggregated claims trends reveal which interventions are reducing losses and which are simply adding cost.

Claims professionals are at the center of this shift. With access to detailed loss data and direct conversations with policyholders, they can identify emerging risks and translate claims insights into smarter pricing, product design, and prevention strategies.

Goldberg is vice president of customer service at Plymouth Rock Assurance.