Distracted driving rates drop, but riskier phone use increases

A recent report by Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) reveals that nearly one-third of crashes occur within a minute of a driver interacting with their phone. While risky distracted driving behaviors decreased in 2024, they continue to significantly affect the frequency and severity of accidents.

CMT provides telematics services to 21 of the largest U.S. auto insurers. Their study indicated a decline in four of seven risky distracted driving behaviors last year. However, there was an increase in phone use at speeds exceeding 50 mph, handheld phone calls, and hard braking incidents.

The report emphasizes that any phone interaction, whether it's sending a text or making a call, substantially increases crash risks. "Phone motion above 50 mph is becoming the most concentrated and dangerous form of distraction on U.S. roads," it notes, indicating a worrying trend during high-speed and long-distance journeys.

In 2024, average interaction time with phone screens decreased by 8.6% from 2023, resulting in an estimated reduction of 105,000 crashes, 59,000 injuries, and nearly 480 fatalities. Despite this, over half of measured trips still involved screen interaction.

Speeding saw a significant decline, with an average speed exceedance dropping from 122 seconds to 107 seconds per hour. Trips involving speeding reduced to 28.4% from 30.2%. Conversely, hard braking events showed an upward trend, rising to an average of 3.04 incidents per 100 miles driven. “Hard braking is a symptom of risky driving,” CMT explains.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that distracted driving led to 3,275 fatalities in 2023. CMT gathered its data using its AI-driven telematics platform, DriveWell Fusion. Insurers, including State Farm and Liberty Mutual, rely on this technology to assess driving behaviors that influence insurance premiums. Insurify states that an at-fault accident could increase insurance rates by an average of 45%, impacting records for three to five years.