Study reveals 2/3 of Drivers Are Distracted on the Road

Plymouth Rock Assurance commits to the prevention of distracted driving, sets Guinness World Record for commitments to safety pledge
BY STAFF WRITER
April 25, 2014

Nearly two-thirds of drivers engage in distractive driving behavior on a daily basis, reveals a new Plymouth Rock Assurance study.

The study, which consists of data surveys of 3,300 consumers, shows that texting and driving is one of the biggest distractive driving habit among drivers. More than half of respondents have witnessed another driver texting with at least one adult passenger in the car, and nearly 40% have witnessed a driver texting with at least one child in the car.

Despite the prevalence of distracted driving behavior, however, between 70 and 80% of respondents, depending on the situation, did nothing after witnessing another driver engage in a distracted driving behavior.

"As a company dedicated to keeping our drivers safe on the road, the results of this study are enough to keep us up at night," stated Gerry Wilson, President and CEO of Plymouth Rock in New Jersey. "However, hope is certainly not lost—the study also revealed that over the last year, the number of drivers polled in New Jersey who park safely before texting has doubled. To us, this trend means we are on the right track toward a cultural shift in driving behavior, not unlike the adoption of seat belts or awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving. We know change is possible, and we intend on doing everything we can to continue to raise awareness about distracted driving," Wilson said.

Recognizing the need to make an impact in the fight against dangerous driving practices, the study’s findings further underscore Plymouth Rock’s push for distracted driving awareness through their campaign launched eight months ago.

The campaign recently reached a quantifiable milestone worthy of an official Guinness World Records title for the Most Pledges to a Safety Campaign. Since the campaign’s launch, tens of thousands of drivers have joined the fight through community events, social media, on-campus functions and other initiatives. More than 32,000 have signed Plymouth Rock’s Pledge Against Distracted Driving, which exceeds the world record requirement of 25,000 by a landslide.

"It's a significant milestone for Plymouth Rock to have set the Guinness World Records title, but the numbers from our most recent study don't lie; there's still a lot of work to be done," said Chris Olie, president and CEO of Plymouth Rock in New England. "We're grateful to everyone who pledged along with us to fight against distracted driving. Each one of those individuals made an important commitment to safe driving, and we plan to use that support and momentum to continue the fight and keep this important public safety initiative in the forefront."

Encouraging drivers to join the fight against distracted driving, and in lieu of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, Plymouth Rock urges all drivers to sign the Pledge Against Distracted Driving. The Pledge is a commitment to refrain from cell phone usage and any other form of distracted driving, and always stay focus on the road.

Article taken from www.PropertyCasualty360.com