Brokers can help put a stop to distracted driving by making Canadians aware of telematics programs that reward drivers for putting down their mobile devices, an industry executive says.

In the 2023 Travelers Canada Distracted Driving Risk Survey, Travelers found that 80% of 1,006 Canadians polled said they would be motivated to stop behaviours that lead to distracted driving if they received an insurance discount for doing it.

Paul Stone, vice president of distribution and sales at Travelers Canada, notes existing telematics programs — which can monitor the use of electronic devices in the car — already do this. And it’s a tool brokers can use to educate the public about ways to curb distracted driving.

“I think brokers have an incredibly important role to play in terms of helping families, especially as we think about that next generation of drivers, the ones who are likely to be on the phone more outside of the car and, we can assume, inside the car,” Stone told Canadian Underwriter in a phone interview discussing the survey results.

“[Brokers are] helping families become aware of the opportunities to use the telematics product that can make for safer drivers. So, it’s building that safer driver. I think brokers have a tremendous opportunity to add value to the customer experience in that way.”

Another effective way to curb distracted driving, the survey suggests, is simply to ask drivers to stop using their mobile devices while driving. “When asked what it would take for drivers to be less likely to use a device while driving, 90% of respondents noted the top influence would be if a passenger asked them to stop,” Travelers notes of its survey results.

“We have to speak up as a passenger,” Stone elaborated. “We have to call out somebody [who’s driving] if they grab their phone. Ask, ‘Can I text for you? Can I look at those directions? There’s no need for you to be on it.’”

Workplace policies also help reduce the risk of driving distracted, the survey indicates. Only 17% of employed Canadians reported their workplace has an official policy against sending or receiving work-related phone calls, texts or emails while driving. But nearly all of those who do have a policy in place (93%) reported that they always or usually follow it.

The problem of distracted driving is getting worse, not better, the survey shows.

Canadians in the survey reported seeing an uptick in crashes due to distraction, with 30% of drivers saying they have been involved in an accident due to their own distractions — a 50% increase from 2022. Moreover, 25% of respondents reported a “near miss” because they were distracted, a 56% jump from last year.

Using electronic devices while driving continues to be a major distraction, the survey shows. Common activities include:

Talking on a phone (hands-free) or using hands-free technology (63%)
Looking at a map or following directions on an electronic device (56%)
Holding a phone to make or receive calls (48%)
Reading text messages or emails (21%)

Stone noted dangerous driving behaviours extend beyond the use of technology, with more than half (58%) of respondents reporting frequently or occasionally eating or drinking while driving. What’s more, moments of high stress while driving can be a distraction. Sixteen per cent of Canadians surveyed said they often cry or experience intense emotions while driving.

Other stressors causing intense emotions while driving include: