Smartphone apps designed to track our driving behavior may hold the key to promoting safer road conditions.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety recently released a study revealing that utilizing smartphone apps to monitor driver behavior, followed by feedback summaries via text messages or data dashboards, can lead to safer driving practices.
In their research, experts applied methods from usage-based insurance (UBI) programs, wherein insurance companies utilize smartphone applications to assess risky driving behaviors such as hard braking, sudden acceleration, and speeding. Unlike traditional methods that depend on actuarial data like driving records and vehicle type, UBI programs leverage real-time data collected from these apps to determine insurance premiums. While these programs are generally optional and marketed to help lower insurance costs, they can result in higher monthly payments if driving habits are not as safe as perceived.
Many individuals are reluctant about being monitored in real-time by their insurance providers. However, the AAA study demonstrated that these methodologies can foster safer driving — even after the tracking apps are no longer in use. Participants were informed that their data was being analyzed for research purposes, rather than for insurance rate adjustments.
Many individuals are reluctant about being monitored in real-time by their insurance providers.
The research team enlisted 1,400 participants, dividing them into four distinct groups: a control group; a standard feedback group receiving weekly updates via text about all monitored behaviors; an assigned goal group, which received feedback on one specific behavior weekly; and a chosen goal group, which selected their own behavior to receive feedback on.
Among the feedback groups, 13 percent of participants reported a decrease in speeding, 21 percent showed a reduction in hard braking, and 25 percent exhibited less rapid acceleration.
Participants shared their feedback on strategies for improving their driving behavior: 67.4 percent indicated they would be motivated by the prospect of earning extra money, 53.9 percent appreciated receiving weekly feedback through text messages, and 45.8 percent preferred a weekly dashboard offering detailed insights into their driving for the week.
The research team also tracked smartphone usage during driving, discovering that poor behaviors remained largely unchanged. They speculated that the initial baseline safety scores provided to drivers may have led them to believe they were safer than they truly were, thereby reducing their perceived need for improvement.
13 percent of participants reported a decrease in speeding.
Following a 12-week study, participants were observed for an additional six weeks without feedback to assess whether their improved driving habits would be maintained. The findings indicated that participants generally continued to drive more safely.
“It’s encouraging to see that many individuals maintained safer habits even after the study,” stated Jake Nelson, AAA’s director of traffic safety advocacy. “This indicates that positive reinforcement, rather than solely punitive measures, can cultivate safer driving practices that ultimately save lives.”
In 2023, over 40,000 fatalities from vehicle crashes occurred in the US. AAA emphasizes that these research results underscore the necessity for innovative strategies to educate individuals on safer driving behaviors.
Most drivers are hesitant about being tracked while driving, particularly given that many possess an inflated perception of their own driving behavior. However, UBI programs are on the rise. In 2020, 16 percent of auto insurance shoppers were offered UBI, with 12 percent enrolling. By 2024, 15 percent of buyers received UBI offers, with nearly a fifth signing up.
We are already accustomed to using our smartphones to monitor various aspects of our lives, including our steps, sleep, and eating habits. So, why not our driving?
