A recent study by the global leader in telematics and connected motor insurance, IMS, has found that most drivers in the UK have admitted to not being able to complete a journey without reaching for their mobile phone!
According to the findings, nine in ten motorists struggle to complete a trip without checking or using their phones. This behaviour persists despite the legal consequences of a £200 fine, six penalty points on a driving licence, and the rollout of sophisticated roadside cameras capable of detecting illegal phone use.
A number of new artificial intelligence-powered cameras are now being deployed to identify drivers breaking the law by handling their devices behind the wheel. This follows recent figures which found that mobile phone usage contributed to 23 road deaths in the last 12 months, while distraction and impairment were the third leading cause of fatal accidents.
Paul Stacy, CEO of IMS, commented, “Our latest findings show the scale of the issue distracted driving has become on British roads and makes clear that the vast majority of us are guilty of it. The insurance industry is increasingly using smartphone technology to monitor and manage the road risk of policyholders that buy a usage-based insurance product, and from this data, we can see that smartphone distraction remains a significant contributor to road collisions and insurance claims.”